Jairam Ramesh defends Rahul Gandhi after BJP's complaint to EC
New Delhi: Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Tuesday defended party leader and Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi's remarks about investments in Maharashtra being transferred to Gujarat. He said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has discriminated against Maharashtra.
His reaction comes after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) complained to the Election Commission of India (ECI) against Rahul Gandhi, saying that he was creating enmity between states.
Ramesh, Congress General Secretary in-charge for Communications and MP from Rajya Sabha, while talking to ANI said that several projects and investments meant for Maharashtra have been moved to Gujarat.
"What are they complaining about? What has Rahul Gandhi said? Everyone has said it. It has been printed in newspapers that several projects and investments that were scheduled to come to Maharashtra have been shifted by the PM to Gujarat. That is what we have said, that you have discriminated against Maharashtra. You speak of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas. So, bring development in all states," the Congress leader said.
Ramesh said that people who want to invest in Maharashtra shouldn't be threatened to move to Gujarat because the former state already has infrastructure in place.
"Those who want to invest in Maharashtra, you can't threaten them and tell them to go to Gujarat. We will welcome if Gujarat gets investments for projects, but don't stop those who want to invest in Maharashtra which has the infrastructure in place. This is what Rahul Gandhi has said and the data is also available on this," he added.
The senior leader claimed that the Congress party was confident about the public supporting them in the upcoming assembly elections in Maharashtra and Jharkhand. He said that their alliance would get a clear mandate in both the states.
"We are confident that the public will support us. The negative political campaigning of BJP, especially that of the PM, Amit Shah, UP CM and Assam CM who are busy spreading communal poison will be rejected by the public. We are confident that Maha Vikas Aghadi in Maharashtra and the alliance of JMM-Congress in Jharkhand will get a clear and decisive mandate," Ramesh said.
