Rahul Gandhi attack Kejriwal for biggest liquor scam in Patparganj rally

In a fiery public rally held in Patparganj on Tuesday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi launched a scathing attack on Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, accusing him of overseeing the “biggest liquor scam” in the city. Gandhi alleged that while Kejriwal had initially promised to bring in a new era of clean politics, the reality under his leadership has been drastically different.

“Kejriwal came with a promise of clean politics, but now he lives in a ‘sheesh mahal’,” said Rahul Gandhi, referring to allegations of corruption in the renovation of Kejriwal’s residence. The Congress leader claimed that the Delhi Chief Minister, along with his former deputy, Manish Sisodia, was the “architect of the liquor scam.”

Rahul Gandhi also did not miss the opportunity to request the voters to vote for the Congress candidate Anil Chaudhary, alleging that Sisodia had “run away” from the Patparganj constituency after getting embroiled in corruption. He targeted Kejriwal for having abandoned the people at the moment they needed him most, particularly when the riots in Delhi in 2020 occurred.

The AAP chief was nowhere to be found when violence erupted in Delhi,” Rahul Gandhi said, referring to the violence that shook parts of the capital in February 2020. “He promised a new kind of politics, but all he left behind was a trail of corruption,” he added.

Turning his guns on the BJP, Rahul Gandhi unleashed another broadside against the party, accusing it of trying to rewrite history and undermine the Constitution. He quoted remarks made by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, who had controversially said that India did not really gain independence in 1947 but only when Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power.

Holding a copy of the Constitution in his hand, Rahul Gandhi said that if independence was not achieved in 1947, then what was the whole point. He continued his onslaught on the BJP stating it claimed the nation had gained freedom when Modi became Prime Minister and when the Ram temple was opened, claiming that the poor were absent at both the above events.

This is a battle of ideologies,” said Gandhi. “On one hand, you have the BJP and RSS spreading hatred, and on the other, Congress stands for love, unity, and inclusiveness.”

He further elaborated, “We want an India filled with love and unity, not one driven by hatred and fear. Our mission is to spread love in a marketplace of hate. We want a ‘mohabbat ki dukaan’.

In an emotional appeal, Rahul Gandhi also criticized the media, accusing it of focusing on luxury events, such as the Ambani wedding, instead of covering the real issues faced by the common man. “The youth have no jobs, and people are struggling to breathe in Delhi, but the media is obsessed with Modi’s face and the weddings of billionaires,” he lamented.

Gandhi also touched upon the economic inequality prevalent in India during his speech and claimed that BJP was siding with billionaires like industrialist Gautam Adani. He further asserted that Gautam Adani had ties with Prime Minister Modi. “The wealth of Adani and other billionaires is controlled by Modi, and this is the kind of India the BJP wants,” Gandhi said. “An India where the common people’s resources are handed over to the rich.”

He further stressed that India’s business scenario was largely underrepresented by the Dalits, tribals, and backward communities; he noted that they were almost absent in the ownership of the 500 biggest companies in the country. Moreover, he marked a low presence from these quarters in decision-making on national budgeting processes.

Gandhi reiterated Congress’ commitment to conducting a nationwide caste census and criticized Modi’s silence on the issue. “The BJP does not want a caste census, but Congress will ensure it wherever we come to power,” he said.

In closing, Gandhi vowed that the Congress would also push for the removal of the 50 per cent cap on reservations, a move that he said would work for greater equality and justice in Indian society.

The rally in Patparganj marks another significant chapter in the Congress campaign ahead of the Delhi assembly elections on February 5. Gandhi’s fiery rhetoric is aimed at rallying support for Congress while seeking to expose what he sees as the failures and corruption of both the AAP and the BJP.