Rahul Gandhi addressed a rally at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan as opposition held Bharat Bandh.
Highlights
- Hatred is being spread and one Indian is fighting the other: Rahul Gandhi
- The Congress chief also attacked the centre on rising fuel prices
- Congress has called a nationwide shutdown protesting rising fuel prices
Congress chief Rahul Gandhi today jeered at the Prime Minister's claims that the achievements of the BJP government in four years far exceed that of the Congress in 70 years. It is actually true, said the Congress chief, and then launched into a scathing attack on the BJP.
"Hatred is being spread... One Indian is fighting the other. The rupee is lowest in 70 years. Fuel prices have hit the roof. The price of cooking gas has become 800 per unit. The country is being divided... the country is tired. The youth of the country are tired," he said while addressing a rally at Delhi's Ramlila Grounds as part of the countrywide opposition protests against the fuel price hike.
The price of petrol has been spiralling with the rising price of crude oil and the slide of rupee against the dollar. Today, the rupee today dropped to a new low of 72.67 against the US dollar. Petrol has touched an all-time high of Rs 88 in Maharashtra. In one pocket of the state, Pharbani, it has touched Rs 89.97.
Nearly two dozen opposition parties, led by the Congress are participating in today's shutdown. The notable absentees are Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party and Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress.
The effect of the shutdown is especially evident in Karnataka, Maharashtra, Kerala and Bihar.
Mr Gandhi, who started the day at Mahatma Gandhi's memorial Rajghat along with his mother Sonia Gandhi and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, questioned PM Modi's silence on fuel prices and the Rafale fighter jet deal. speaks a lot, but does not answer any question.
"Small businesses have been finished. And nobody till now knows the reason behind demonetization... A lot of people trusted Narendra Modi. it has been four years and the people are able to see what the BJP government has done," he added.
"What the country wants to hear, what the youth want to hear, PM Narendra Modi does not talk about it. Don't know which world he is in, he keeps giving speeches... The country is fed up with seeing him," he said.