Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Saturday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his constant criticism of the erstwhile United Progressive Alliance governments, claiming that in the last 70 years, nobody had been as foolish to carry out demonetisation and the “Gabbar Singh Tax”, referring to the Goods and Services Tax.

Gandhi was addressing a rally in Unchahar in Rae Bareli Lok Sabha constituency, from where the United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi is seeking re-election. Sonia Gandhi has been representing the seat since 2004. Rae Bareli will go to polls on May 6.

“In the past 70 years, the foolishness of demonetisation and Gabbar Singh Tax was not done by anyone,” Gandhi said. The Congress president claimed there is only one “prime minister who stole from the poor and his name is Narendra Modi”.

He claimed Modi had lied to the country dubbing the note ban as a fight against black money and corruption. “If it was a fight against black money, then why wasn’t any thief standing in the queues [outside ATMs]?” Gandhi said.

Gandhi claimed Modi had stolen Rs 10,000 crore from the farmers of the country and given it to businessmen. “Where are Anil Ambani, Nirav Modi, Vijay Mallya, Lalit Modi – in jail or outside?” he asked.

Gandhi has repeatedly accused Modi of helping businessman Anil Ambani secure the offset contract in the Rafale deal.

The Congress president claimed the prime minister does not want to fill 22 lakh vacant posts in the government. He promised that the Congress party will provide jobs to 22 lakh youth within a year if it comes to power. He also promised that his party, if it forms the government in Uttar Pradesh, will waive farm loans.

He accused the Modi government of lying to people about the minimum income scheme promised by the Congress. “Not even one rupee for the NYAY scheme [Nyuntam Aay Yojana] will be taken from the middle class people of the country, it will be taken from the bank accounts of thieves like Anil Ambani, Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi,” he said.

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