With notes ban and GST, PM Narendra Modi has badly hurt the economy: Rahul Gandhi

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Monday attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his decision to ban the old currency notes of high denomination and the faulty implementation of the Goods and Services Tax, which has badly hurt the Indian economy.

Dwarka: Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Monday attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his government's decision to ban the old currency notes of high denomination and the faulty implementation of the Goods and Services Tax, which, he said, has badly hurt the Indian economy.

PM Modi has made a blatant attack on the economy through notes ban and the GST, Rahul Gandhi said.

The PM did not stop there and introduced the GST which has made the lives of small traders miserable, he added.

Attacking the Narendra Modi government for not paying heed to the farmers' plight, the Congress leader said, “Does the farmer use digital payments? No, he uses cash. So, the BJP government’s move has hit the downtrodden.”

Rahul also tore into the “Gujarat model” and said it was only meant to profit big corporates. “This Gujarat model provides land, electricity and all the help to corporates but leaves the common man high and dry,” he said.

Congress vice president earlier began his three-day campaign for the Gujarat Assembly elections from the crucial Saurashtra region.

With the state police refusing him permission to hold an open-jeep road show, Rahul decided to take out a bullock cart yatra.

Over a fortnight after he held a lively interaction with thousands of party workers at Ahmedabad Sabarmati Riverfront, the 47-year-old Congress scion is on a whirlwind tour of the Saurashtra region, which sends one-third of the legislators in the 182-member State Assembly, from the famous religious town of Dwarka.

He began his day by offering prayers at the Dwarkadheesh Krishna temple, from where he is expected to drive down to Jamnagar, interacting with locals at various educational institutions, women and businessmen.

From the village of Hanjrapar which has a voter population of 1,107 from the Ahir caste, the Congress Vice President is scheduled to meet bullion traders and representatives of Jamnagar's widely known brass parts industry.

After a night halt at Jamnagar, on Tuesday morning he will drive down to Rajkot, the hometown of Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and also the key nerve centre of the Saurashtra region. 

Gandhi would also offer prayers at the Khodaldham Temple, the deity of Patidar community.

On Wednesday, the Congress leader will reach Surendranagar. Here, he is expected to climb the long-winding stone stairs to the popular hilltop Chotila Temple. 

He will wrap up his tour at Viramgam on the entry to Ahmedabad district, which incidentally happens to be the native home town of the young Patidar (or Patel) agitation leader Hardik Patel.

The Saurashtra region has been electorally tough for the Congress for the last two decades and it won only 12 of the 52 seats here in the 2012 assembly elections. 

This time the party is looking at significantly improving the tally given the Patidar sentiment against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and the overall farmer distress owing to various issues.

Congress hopes that Rahul Gandhi's staying put in the region for the first time for three days at a stretch will pep up the party cadres and energize them to work for victory sinking all their differences. 

The Congress Vice President is also scheduled to make similar appearances in north, central and south Gujarat regions before the December elections.