New Delhi, Oct 18 Congress leader Rahul Gandhi attacked the BJP government in Uttarakhand on Sunday, alleging that investments exist only on paper, jobs exist only in slogans and the state’s youngsters get nothing but paper leaks.
He shared a media report, which claimed that public sector undertakings (PSUs), fertiliser shops and flour mills were counted as Uttarakhand’s “investors” after a global summit.
In a post on X in Hindi, Gandhi said, “A sham by the (Pushkar) Dhami government in the name of investment in Uttarakhand — yet another example of the BJP’s ‘double-engine’ model.”
The Global Investors Summit was hyped extensively — 1,779 MoUs, worth Rs 3.56 lakh crore, and nearly Rs 100 crore of public money were spent on roadshows, he said.
Subsequently, the government claimed that Rs 1 lakh crore were “realised on the ground”, Gandhi said.
“Newslaundry investigated the source of these investments: Flour mills, seed-and-fertiliser shops and small clinics were counted as ‘investors’ — some of whom were not even aware of it. Rs 35,279 crore — that is, 35 per cent of the total — comes from state-owned power companies,” he said, citing the report.
A school, run through CSR (corporate social responsibility) funds and donations, was categorised as an “investor” contributing Rs 24.49 crore, the Congress leader said.
One “investor,” credited with Rs 1,200 crore, has had zero earnings for four years and lists no employees in its records, he said.
“Roadshows in Dubai and London were claimed to have generated Rs 27,975 crore in investments; yet, not a single company from either city appears on the list of investors who have actually ‘invested on the ground’,” Gandhi said.
Furthermore, just seven days before the summit — on December 1, 2023 — the very definition of “investment” was diluted, the leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha said and added that this is a classic case of: change the rules first, then present the figures.
“The chief minister must make the full list of these 3,300 ‘investors’ public. Investments exist only on paper, jobs exist only in slogans. And for the youngsters of Uttarakhand? Nothing but paper leaks,” Gandhi said, sharing a link to the media report.
Uttarakhand goes to polls early next year.
(PTI News)
