'Arhar Modi, Arhar Modi': Rahul Gandhi tears into PM Narendra Modi over rising pulse prices

NEW DELHI: Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi punned on the BJP slogan 'har, har Modi', used briefly during the 2014 general elections, to take a dig at the government over spiralling prices of arhar dal, a widely consumed lentil. Opposition members greeted Gandhi's remarks by thumping the desks, although Prime Minister Narendra Modi was not present.

"All across villages, a plaintive new slogan is ringing out — Arhar Modi," Gandhi quipped after reeling out the retail prices of variety of lentils, arguing that the common people could not even afford their source of protein due to the surging prices. Gandhi had in a similar vein called the Modi government 'suit-boot ki sarkar' and 'fair-and-lovely' in the past.

Pointing out how Modi had spoken about the hardships of the poor due to surging prices during his Lok Sabha campaign and how he had promised to bring down prices, Gandhi said by the time the NDA government celebrated its second anniversary the PM had nothing to say about spiralling prices. "The PM talks about everything except price rise. The Modi government celebrated its second birthday a few days back.

While addressing the people, he spoke about ' Make In India', ' Connect India', ' Digital India', but he does not talk about price rise. Not once did he talk about pulses, potatoes and tomatoes," Gandhi said. "I want to remind the prime minister Modi about the promise he made to everyone, now forgotten. You can make false claims on 'Startup India,' 'Make in India,' but not on rising prices," he added, while asking what happened to the jobs promised for the youth.