Centre's policies destroyed economy, broke back of farmers: Rahul Gandhi

Stepping up his attack on the Centre and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party BJP Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday alleged their policies have destroyed the Indian economy and broken the back of farmersHe said small and medium business enterprises and not big industrial houses generate largescale employment but they were at the receiving end of the Centres 2016 noteban exercise and the way Goods and Services Tax GST was implemented in 2017GST demonetisation the farm laws were not just policies but weapons to destroy small and medium businesses and farmers When the three farm laws were enacted in 2020 they were repealed in 2021 farmers in Haryana and Punjab came out strongly against them Top industrial houses dont give employment small and medium traders give employment said the Lok Sabha MP from KeralaRahul Gandhi was speaking at a meeting in Medshi in Washim district at the end of the 10th day of the Maharashtra leg of his 3570kmlong Bharat Jodo Yatra The Congresss crosscountry footmarch which started on September 7 from Kanniyakumari in Tamil Nadu completed 70 days on WednesdayThe former Congress president said rural employment scheme MNREGA and food security law brought by the partyled UPA government at the Centre 200414 empowered common citizens and improved their conditionHe said Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj B R Ambedkar Mahatma Phule and Shahu Maharaj were national icons who taught brotherhood and unity to people and his Bharat Jodo Yatras objective was to take forward their idealsAlso Read Govt cant explain away inflation by pointing to situation in US CongressGandhi said there is no violence or hatred in the yatraIf people get hurt the yatris footmarch participants dont leave them behind and move ahead Everyone together lifts the fallen person and walk together he saidThis doesnt happen in Delhi referring to BJP rule at the Centre or in Maharashtra the Congress MP said in an apparent jibe at Chief Minister Eknath Shinde who revolted against the Shiv Sena leadership resulting in collapse of the Maha Vikas Aghadi MVA government in JuneThe Congress was a constituent of the Shiv Senaled MVA governmentPolicies being pursued by the BJP and the Centre have adversely affected farmers and destroyed social fabric of the country he claimedIf violence and hatred is spread how can the country remain strong and united Gandhi askedFarmers do not get remunerative price of their produce or adequate crop insurance money leading to losses to them said the Congress leaderIf there is good harvest of crops the government will suddenly change its exportimport policies due to which prices of agriculture commodities fall thereby affecting cultivators Gandhi saidHow can those who hurt farmers who feed the country can be called patriots asked the Member of ParliamentHe also attacked the Centre over the Agnipath recruitment scheme for the armed forcesYouths join military to serve the country but under the new scheme the government wants them to join the defence forces on a shortterm basis and then remain unemployed through their life said GandhiUnder Agnipath youths will be inducted into the armed forces for a fouryear tenure while 25 per cent of them will be subsequently inducted for regular service