Guwahati: Congress leader Pawan Khera on Sunday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of “shamelessly” seeking votes in Assam while the country was facing LPG shortage and people were standing in long queues for gas cylinders.The attack came a day after Modi concluded a two-day visit to Assam, where he urged people to work together for a “Viksit Assam” and contribute to the country’s overall development.
“The Prime Minister visited Assam on Saturday. He made several remarks about the Congress party. At a time when the entire country is facing a shortage of fuel and people are standing in long queues for cooking gas, it is astonishing that he came to Assam seeking votes. In such circumstances, anyone who still has the courage to ask for votes must be utterly shameless,” said Khera, chairman of the AICC media and communications department.Khera said Modi visited only places where elections were underway and ignored states during times of crisis if no polls were imminent.“If there are no elections, even in times of disaster or crisis, he does not visit those places. The Prime Minister does not come to Assam during floods. During Assam’s difficult times, Modi does not visit the state. He did not go to Manipur because there is no election there. As soon as election dates are announced, he will run to Manipur as well,” he alleged.Responding to Modi’s charge that Congress had become a puppet of forces seeking to weaken the country, Khera said the party was never anyone’s puppet. He then launched a personal attack on the prime minister saying, “Modi became a puppet of the Epstein gang.”Khera also targeted BJP over rising LPG prices, saying the party had protested even small increases when Congress was in power.“When LPG prices rose by even Rs 20 during the Congress-led govt, BJP leaders would protest on the streets carrying gas cylinders. Today, the price of a cylinder increased by Rs 63 in a single day, yet they feel no shame. In Delhi, commercial cylinders are reportedly being sold on the black market,” he alleged.On Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma’s remark that he could be arrested, Khera said Congress would not be intimidated.“We are not afraid of Himanta Biswa Sarma. Let him send the police wherever he wants. We fought against the British and against the Sangh. Himanta Biswa only recently became a member of the Sangh. We will continue to speak the truth,” he said.Khera also dismissed Sarma’s claim that he would decide 30 Congress candidates himself, saying the chief minister was struggling to manage BJP ticket distribution.“There are multiple lists within the BJP — 1 from the RSS, 1 from Sarbananda Sonowal, and even other leaders are moving around with their own lists,” he added.
