Rajasthan polls: Priyanka Gandhi questions Centre's silence on OPS

Jaipur: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi on Friday came down heavily on the Centre over its silence on the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) in Rajasthan, saying when the Congress government can implement it what stops the BJP dispensation from speaking about it.

The party general secretary was addressing a public meeting at Rajasthan's Dausa district ahead of the Assembly polls.

Priyanka Gandhi accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of betraying the people of the state on the Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP).

"I saw on TV, I don't know whether it is true or not, the Prime Minister had visited Devnarayanji's temple in the state some time back and left an envelope behind. After six months, again I saw that the envelope was opened while the public waited with baited breath. Naturally, the public was expecting a substantial amount from a towering leader like him. But, to their dismay, the envelope contained a paltry sum of Rs 21," she said.

"Sadly, where is the country heading to? Big announcements are being made, various envelopes are being shown while standing on the dais. When you open those, when the elections are over and the time comes to show your work, nothing happens. The Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP)'s far flung promise was also made in a similar manner," she said.

Taking a dig at Modi, the Congress leader said, "BJP workers say that our face will be Narendra Modi. The public should ask him whether he will leave the post of Prime Minister and become the chief minister of Rajasthan? Their aim is only to remain in power.

"Money is looted from the poor and given to the industrialists. If the BJP government comes to power, the old pension scheme will end, and the cheap cylinders can be imagined," she said.

Several BJP leaders are declaring themselves as the future chief minister. The entire BJP is divided into parts but the Congress stands tall and united,she asserted.

On MNREGA, she said, "The central government did not provide employment. They limited the scope of MNREGA, but are failing to generate employment. Inflation is so high that it has created a hole in the public's pockets. People go to the market and come back empty-handed. The companies from which you could have got employment were sold by the BJP central government to its industrialists."

Hailing the Gehlot government, she said, "The faulty policies of the Centre is making things difficult, but the Gehlot government is trying to get you out of the tough situation. The state government has to set up inflation relief camps because the central government is unable to control inflation."

Earlier, when Priyanka Gandhi was speaking, slogans were raised against Dausa district minister Murarilal Meena forcing her to stop briefly.

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, while addressing the gathering, said, "We have given mobile phones to 40 lakh women. Under this scheme, one crore women will get mobile phones in the second phase. Assembly elections are not just for Rajasthan, the future of the entire country will be decided by it. We will fight this election on the basis of our development. BJP says that only lotus is its face. Will this lotus make roads," he quipped.