Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi meeting apartment buyers from the NCR region at the party headquarters in New Delhi. (Press Trust of India)
After taking the battle to the NDA government on the land acquisition bill, during which he branded the government as 'pro-rich' and 'pro-corporate', Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi has now accused the government of being 'anti-middle class'. This time, Mr Gandhi has turned his focus on the Real Estate (Development and Regulation) Bill, which he has alleged favours builders over consumers.
"This government is not just oppressing the farmers, adivasis, but also the middle class. They are told that you will get the flat on a particular day but for years they don't get the flat. They are told the super-duper area of the flat would be so much but what is delivered is different," he said after meeting with a group of people who had purchased apartments in the National Capital Region at the Congress headquarters.
Those who met Mr Gandhi said he had assured them that his party would increase pressure on the Centre to roll back some of the proposed amendments to the law the UPA had introduced two years ago, while in power.
Varun Mohan, a flat owner, said, "It allows builders to deposit only 50 per cent of the money collected from prospective buyers in an escrow account as against 70 per cent in the UPA bill, which means builders can misuse buyers' money or spend in other projects."
The earlier bill prevented builders from altering a sanctioned plan once it had been approved but the new bill would allow them to make minor alterations, without explaining what would be considered minor. This, the Congress claims, is 'anti-buyers' and 'pro-builders'.
It has also raised objections to provisions that allow members of Real Estate Regulatory Authority to take up employment with builders after demitting office. The new bill also absolves builders of blame if authorising agencies fail to give statutory claims. The Congress is now set to demand that the bill be sent to a select committee for review.
The BJP hit right back at against Rahul Gandhi's barb. "If they had done anything for farmers or middle class earlier, they wouldn't need to do this," said party spokesperson Nalin Kohli.