Learning from the bitter experience of 2017, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday said that his party would easily cross the majority mark in Goa in the February 14 assembly polls and “act immediately” to stake claim to power in the coastal state.
Addressing a press conference in South Goa’s Margao town, Gandhi also lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for blaming then PM late Jawaharlal Nehru for the delayed liberation of Goa from Portuguese rule, claiming Modi had no understanding of global history post World War II and said that he was only trying to distract the people of Goa from the failures of the incumbent BJP-led coalition government.
“This time we are going to get a solid majority and we are going to act immediately to ensure that we have a government in Goa… We won’t fall short. I think we’ll be well above the majority mark with ease,” Gandhi said.
Also Read | Attempt to distort history, Nehru intervened in Goa at right time: Chidambaram on PM's criticism
The Congress had failed to stake claim to power after the 2017 assembly polls despite emerging as the single largest legislative party.
Gandhi also said that Modi loves “distraction” while countering the Prime Minister’s critique of Nehru’s actions related to Goa’s liberation.
“I said that Modi love distraction. Goa's youth needs employment. Goa needs to rejuvenate the tourism industry. Goa wants to talk about the future. Narendra Modi knows that his government has done nothing in the last five years so he wants to distract,” the Congress leader said.
“Now the fact of the matter is that freedom fighters have commented on this issue. This is an issue that has come up before. Academics have commented on this issue before. The sad fact is that the PM doesn’t quite understand the history of those times. He doesn’t understand what was going on post-WWII,” Gandhi states.
Rahul Gandhi also accused Modi of dodging real issues during the latter’s speech at an election rally in North Goa on Thursday.
“The PM also has a role. He cannot come to you today and say to you ‘I gave jobs’, ‘I gave you employment’, ‘I fixed your problems’, ‘I stole your last government’. He can't say that to you. So, he has to distract you. His role is to distract. His role is to take you away from your issues and to distract you,” the Congressman said.
“At the time of the 2014 elections, the Prime Minister said he would give two crore jobs. He said that 15 lakh would come to your accounts. Why doesn’t he say that today? Why doesn't he say in his speeches that he is going to give jobs?. Why doesn't he say he is going to double the farmers' income? Why isn't he saying that he is going to rid the country of corruption? Why isn't he talking about demonetisation? Because he is a total fail(ure),” he added.
Check out DH's latest videos: