Rahul Gandhi accuses PM Narendra Modi of favoring companies over farmers

CHANDIGARH: Congress chief Rahul Gandhi attempted to draw parallel between Rafale controversy and Punjab government’s local issue of accumulated expenditure on foodgrain, at a rally in Moga, alleging the Prime Minister Narendra Modi for extending benefits worth Rs 30,000 crore to Anil Ambani in the fighter plane deal but ignoring similar amount to the state for national food security.

In order to harvest political dividend for the debt waiver schemes extended by the Congress ruled states in run up to polls, he questioned the Centre government’s logic for allowing corporate debt waiver worth Rs 3.5 billion crore to selective few but not heeding to demand of debt waiver by agrarian states.

Gandhi, while sounding poll bugle in Punjab where the party sees better support, said that Centre government has repeatedly denied to pay Rs 31,000 crore to Punjab for procurement of food grain from the farmers but it had ensured benefit worth Rs 30,000 crore to Anil Ambani in Rafale deal by sidelining Hindustan Aeronautical Limited in the contract.


Punjab government has been asking Centre to accommodate unrecovered cost of procurement of wheat and paddy for national food security accumulated over several years.

Rahul's speech focused on farmers and small businessmen in Punjab, where political sway in coming polls will be directed by voters in villages and towns.