Congress never cared for poor, says Gadkari

Bhubaneswar, January 17 (Agencies): The Congress party was never serious about the problems of the poor and peasants in the country, Bharatiya Janata Party president Nitin Gadkari said here on Monday. After ruling the country for the most number of years since independence, it was the Congress leaders and workers who became richer, not the poor common man, he alleged.
Addressing a rally of nearly two lakh people in state capital Bhubaneswar, Gadkari said more then ten lakh farmers have committed suicide in the past due to the Congress-led government’s poor economic policy. The rally was a part of the nationwide campaign against corruption that the BJP launched in Delhi earlier this month.
Blaming the United Progressive Alliance government for the increasing plight of the poor and the farmers, he said: “The government has Rs 70,000 crore to buy aeroplanes, but has no money to prevent farmers’ suicide”. Referring to various scams during the UPA rule, including the those involving 2G spectrum, Commonwealth Games and Adarsh housing society, Gadkari said the year 1947 was known for India’s independence, but 2010 will be known for scams. Describing the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance as the only alternative at the centre, he highlighted various achievements of the former prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee’s government.