Congress leader Rahul Gandhi today said Ludhiana's small and medium businesses can compete with China if they are given adequate support even as he attacked the Punjab government and the Centre for not supporting them.
Rahul Gandhi, who is currently undertaking the Punjab leg of the Bharat Jodo Yatra, charged that hatred, violence and fear were being spread in the country as he sought to hit out at the BJP.
"There should be no place for hatred and violence in the country. It is a country of brotherhood, love and respect," he said while addressing a gathering in Ludhiana.
He also targeted the BJP-led Centre over the issue of demonetisation, saying it hit the small and medium enterprises hard.
"How Ludhiana (small and medium businesses) was hit? Prime Minister-ji implemented demonetisation and wrong GST," he alleged.
"Demonetisation and 'wrong' GST are not policies. Demonetisation and 'wrong' GST are weapons to end the small and medium enterprises. This is the truth," claimed Mr Gandhi.
"The country's 'arabpatis' (billionaires) cannot give employment to the country. Ludhiana's small and medium businesses can give employment in the country. If they are strengthened and given support, Ludhiana can compete against China. This is the truth."
"But nobody supports you. There is no vision. Be it is the Punjab government or the government of India," he said.
Ludhiana is the industrial hub of Punjab.
The march resumed on Thursday morning from Doraha in Ludhiana as part of its Punjab leg.
The Punjab leg of the foot march began on Wednesday from Sirhind in Fatehgarh Sahib.
During the yatra, Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, former chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi, MPs Amar Singh, Gurjit Singh Aujla, former MLA Gurkirat Kotli, Punjab Youth Congress chief Brinder Singh Dhillon and several other party leaders accompanied Gandhi.
The yatra, which started from Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu on September 7, will conclude in Srinagar by January 30, with Gandhi hoisting the national flag in the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir.
The march has so far covered Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
Featured Video Of The Day
Indian Navy Submarine Collides With Fishing Boat Off Goa, 2 Fishermen Missing
Doctors Demand Rahul Gandhi's Apology Over "Memory Loss" Remark On Biden Rahul Gandhi Shares Photo With Indira Gandhi On Her Birth Anniversary "Lip Service": Citing Tribals, KTR Hits Out At Rahul Gandhi On Caste Census Amazon Employee Greets Friend At Wedding, Dies Of Cardiac Arrest AAP's 7 'Revdis' Ahead Of Delhi Polls: Electricity, Education, Water "Violation Of Sovereignty, Abuse Of Power": Kanwal Sibal On US Report On Adani Group 5 Things To Know About Pam Bondi, Trump's New Choice For Attorney General Has There Been An Undercount Of Punjab Farm Fires? What Satellite Pics Show Speed, Range, Threat: All About Russia's Oreshnik Missile Fired On Ukraine Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.