Rahul's jibe at Modi: Maharashtra much ahead of Gujarat

Launching a blistering attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party over the "India Shining" campaign, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Friday said the balloon of Gujarat's development model will burst.

"They had made a balloon of "India Shining" in 2004 and 2009. They have filled a balloon with gas (of Gujarat's development model), which will be blown again," Gandhi said addressing an election rally in Wardha, Maharashtra.

Mocking Gujarat's development model, he said 17 per cent of India's GDP comes from Maharashtra.

"17 percent of the GDP of India comes from Maharashtra. There is no need to see the Gujarat model of development. Maharashtra is number one and there is nothing lacking out here," he said.   

"RTI is the biggest weapon against corruption. Transparency is ensured by the RTI," he said.

Emphasising on women's empowerment, he said there should be more representation of women in Vidhan Sabha, Lok Sabha and business.

"We wanted to have 33 percent of women in Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha, for which we wanted to pass the Bill. But the Opposition stopped it," he said.

On the Congress-led UPA government waiving off Rs 70,000 crore loan given to farmers, Rahul said, "Farmers give their sweat and blood for the country.

"We got two years to bring the Land Acquisition Bill. You will get four times more the compensation as compared to the market rate. You stand by us very strongly," he said.

Speaking on the recent hailstorm, which destroyed several hectares of crops in most parts of the state he said, "Central government has announced Rs 800 crore package for the hailstorm affected farmers."

Listing the employment opportunities that the Congress gave in its manifesto, Gandhi said employment will be given to crores of youth.

"A dedicated industrial corridor will be made for the crores of youth, which will give them employment opportunities. Our youth will start manufacturing things, that are currently imported," he said.

"We are going to give you the right to health. We will do that in next five years. We wan't the poor to feel that the country is yours," he said.

The Mumbai-Delhi Industrial Corridor would further boost the industrial activity in Maharashtra, Rahul said.

Praising the Maharashtra Government led by Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, he said the state had received the maximum foreign direct investment in the country.

Later, speaking at Wadsa town in the tribal dominated and Naxal-affected Gadchiroli district, Rahul said UPA would leave no stone unturned to empower the women and the poor if voted to power for the third consecutive term.

He promised that UPA government would set up 2,000 women police stations, and introduce the women's reservation bill in the Parliament.

Saying that the opposition blocked the bill earlier, Rahul said the new UPA government would get it passed.

The government that would be formed after the elections would be the government of 70 crore people in the lower strata of the society, including the vendors, the labourers, the farmers, tribals and the poor, he said.

Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, AICC general secretary Mohan Prakash, MPCC chief Manikrao Thakre,  MLA and Congress candidate for Gadchiroli Lok Sabha seat Dr Namdeo Usendi and former minister Vijay Wadttiwar were also present at the rally.

Talking about local initiatives, Rahul said the Congress-led government in Maharashtra set up a bamboo processing project in the district.

The UPA government brought in the Forest Rights bill which gave the tribals rights over their lands in the forest areas, Rahul pointed out.