Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday defended the UPA government's move to allow Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in multi-brand retail, saying it would help the members of the farming community.
Addressing an election rally here, Rahul Gandhi launched a frontal attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for raising objections to the reforms agenda initiated by the ruling Congress party at the Centre.
"We fight for farmers and workers, tell me one thing that the Himachal government has done. We want FDI for the benefit of the farmers. When we talk of reforms, BJP raises questions. BJP talks corruption, Congress acts," he said.
Rahul Gandhi urged the youth to actively participate in politics.
"System can't be changed until the youth join politics," he said.
Congress president Sonia Gandhi had earlier on Tuesday defended FDI in multi-brand retail.
"For the benefit of farmers, we have decided to bring in FDI in retail. The farmers will not get exploited and consumers will also get products at cheaper rates. The opposition is creating rumours on FDI, no state is forced to accept FDI in retail. The opposition is not thinking about the betterment of the farmers," said Gandhi, while addressing an election rally in Shimla.
The UPA chairperson said the opposition's fight against corruption is just a pretense. "BJP's fight against the corruption is just a pretense. BJP leaders only think of personal gains and not public good. I want to ask the BJP - have you taken any action against your leaders who are mired in corruption charges? We have pushed for the RTI, we have passed the Lokpal bill in the Lok Sabha who stalled it in the Rajya Sabha, the BJP," Sonia Gandhi said.
{{/usCountry}}The UPA chairperson said the opposition's fight against corruption is just a pretense. "BJP's fight against the corruption is just a pretense. BJP leaders only think of personal gains and not public good. I want to ask the BJP - have you taken any action against your leaders who are mired in corruption charges? We have pushed for the RTI, we have passed the Lokpal bill in the Lok Sabha who stalled it in the Rajya Sabha, the BJP," Sonia Gandhi said.
{{/usCountry}}"The BJP is not against corruption, but they are against the Congress party," she added. Sonia Gandhi further said that if the people of Himachal Pradesh want development in the state then they have to remove the BJP government from the state. The Himachal Pradesh legislative assembly consists of 68 seats, and Bharatiya Janata Party won 42 in the previous elections. The single-phase election in Himachal Pradesh will take place on November 4, while the counting of votes is scheduled on December 20.