Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Friday teared into Prime Minister Narendra Modi on various issues including unemployment, Goods and Services Tax (GST), Rafale deal and demonetisation.

Speaking during the no-confidence motion debate in Lok Sabha, Gandhi questioned Modi over his promise of two crore jobs per year as "only 4 lakh jobs per year were created according to the government’s Labour Bureau Data".

On demonetisation, he said, “When I was in Surat, farmers, labourers, small traders told me demonetisation imposed by Prime Minster Narendra Modi affected them the most.”

Talking on GST, Gandhi said, “PM Modi's GST destroyed our small scale traders. He prefers to travel abroad and talk to only rich businessmen, but he never reached out to small scale businessmen.”

"You have brought five slabs of GST and set the Income Tax authorities on smallest shopkeepers. You have ruined them," Gandhi added.

Gandhi also accused PM Modi of illegal cooperation with rich businessman, "There are a few rich businessmen who are in collusion with PM Modi, and PM Modi works only for them, not for the country's poor."

Taking on government over controversial Rafale deal, Gandhi said, “Defence Minister has clearly spoke untruth. The fact of the matter is there is no secret pact between Indian government and French government.”

"Defence Minister said there is secrecy pact with France on Rafale deal. I personally met President of France and asked him if any such pact existed, he clearly said there is no pact," Gandhi said in Lok Sabha.

“Everybody understands there is a relationship between PM and some rich businessmen. One of them has benefited to the tune of Rs 45,000Cr in Rafale deal. PM must explain why this contract was taken away from HAL and youth of Karnataka,” he added.

The Congress president also alleged that PM Modi had helped a businessman by giving Rafale deal to an inexperienced business group, “A businessmen who has not built a single airplane in his life and has a debt of Rs 35,000 crore was given the Rafale deal because of his relationship with PM.”

Commenting on Doklam issue with China, Gandhi said, "After PM of India's rendezvoused with Chinese President, China sent its troops in Doklam. After a few days, PM went to China for an agendaless meeting. The truth is he went there with China's agenda."

Speaking on farmers distress, he said, "After PM waived loans of rich businessmen, Finance Minister said he will not waive farmers' loans. PM wants to put money into rich businessmen's pockets while the poor suffer."

On Minimum Support Price (MSP) for 23 crops and sugarcane, Gandhi said, "MSP was another jumla. PM allocated only Rs 10,000 crore towards MSP for the entire country, while Karnataka govt had allocated Rs 34,000 crore in a single state."

While addressing the Parliament, Gandhi said, "For the first time in history, India's reputation is the worst in the world and this is because the Modi govt is unable to protect women."

Taunting BJP and RSS, Gandhi said, "PM Modi, BJP and RSS have taught me what it means to be a Congress person, the meaning of being a real Indian, and what it means to be a real Hindu. For this, I thank them."

Ending his speech, Gandhi walked up to Modi and gave him a hug, saying, "I might be Pappu for you, but I don't have hatred for anyone. This is what Hinduism stands for and not the hatred."

First Published:Jul 20, 2018 2:24 PM IST