Bullet train for Modi's suit-boot friends,' Rahul renews attack on Centre

Lucknow: Taking a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the second time in two days, Rahul Gandhi on Friday said the tickets for the bullet trains promised by him will not be less than Rs 10,000 and that "only Modi ji and his suited-booted friends" will travel in it.

The Congress Vice President yesterday while reminding the prime minister about his promise of bringing down the prices of essential vegetables and pulses called him 'arhar Modi arhar Modi', taking a jibe at the BJP slogan 'Har Har Modi' used during the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

Gandhi also said the bullet trains would be out of bounds for common people.

"Modi says he will bring a bullet train which will cost around Rs one lakh crore. When the entire Railway budget is Rs 1.40 lakh crore, he wants to bring one train for Rs one lakh crore," Gandhi told party workers in an interactive session here.

"For whom is he bringing bullet train...what will be the cost of its ticket..it will not be less than Rs 10 to 15 thousand...it will be for Modi and his suited-booted friends," Rahul told the booth level workers at the Ramabai Ambedkar Rally ground.

Congress only speaks the truth and that it does not make false promises like the RSS, BJP, BSP and SP, he said, adding that his party fulfils its promises.

Seeking to get a response from the audience, Gandhi asked how many jobs have been provided by the 'babbar sher' (Make in India logo).

"You can bring out any two who have been given employment by 'babbar sher'," he said, reminding that the mobile phone in the pockets of workers which has changed their lives and through which they take selfies has not been provided by Modi but by the Congress government.

Taking a question on dearth of resources for party workers when compared with other parties, Gandhi said it is a reality his party does not have as much resources as Modi but it has lakhs of workers.

"Narendra Modi talks about corruption but how is his party getting this money you have to think about it," he said.

Gandhi also attacked the Modi government for what he claimed waiving Rs 52,000 crore of big industrialists and said it is not reported in media.

Gandhi said Modi was working in favour of some three or four selected industrialists. "He first tried to grab your land and now wants to snatch pulses from your platter," he said, adding that Congress will launch an agitation for the sake of farmers.

"(Vijay) Mallya and Lalit Modi fled with money...they say nothing on it," he said.

"He can do this again...it is our work to check arhar Modi, suited booted Modi but as we waived farmers' loan you do the same...he has Rs. 2 lakh crores lying with him. We want to stand up and make him waive it," he said, exhorting them to come with him to Delhi to exert pressure for it.