Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi speaks in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday
Rahul Gandhi made another jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi today in Parliament, this time on his visits abroad, when he said, "The PM is visiting India, let him also visit Punjab and see the situation for himself."
The Congress vice-president, just back from a tour of Punjab's grain markets where he met farmers distressed at the slow purchase of their produce, said in another swipe, "Does the farmer not make in India?"
This was a reference to the PM's massive manufacturing push in the country, Make in India. The Congress leader alleges that the Modi government's policies are designed to benefit rich industrialists at the cost of poor farmers.
"They are crying and your government did nothing when hailstorms destroyed their crop," Rahul Gandhi said.
Amid ruckus in the house after his short speech, BJP ally Akali Dal's Harsimrat Kaur, who is a minister at Centre, shot back, "Where was Rahul Gandhi when there was hailstorm. After he came back from holiday, has he visited his own constituency?"
Political rivals criticised Mr Gandhi, 44, for taking off on a two-month sabbatical abroad even as the crucial Budget session of Parliament was beginning. Since his return earlier this month, Rahul Gandhi has been unusually aggressive and politically active, attacking the Modi government at every opportunity, especially on the distress of farmers.
This evening Mr Gandhi will go to Vidarbha in Maharsahtra, where many farmers have committed suicide, and will trek 15 km to highlight their plight.
The BJP rules both Punjab and Maharashtra, along with allies. It also rules Haryana, where a minister shockingly said yesterday, "Suicide is a crime. According to Indian law, suicide is a crime. A person who commits suicide runs away from his responsibilities. Such people are cowards and the government cannot stand by such cowards or criminals."
Rahul Gandhi brought that up too in his attacking speech, his third in Parliament in the last two weeks. Before this he had made three in 10 years.