The middle class has always suffered under Congress rule, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in Tripura on Sunday. Modi is on another one of his campaign blitzkriegs, having spoken in Bengal earlier in the day, and being scheduled to speak later in Manipur.
“The middle-class has always suffered under the Congress government, the party has said that more taxes should be levied on the middle class,” Modi said on Sunday.
He also referred to the Congress’s recently-released election manifesto which contains a large dose of what is referred to as “welfarism”. Modi called it a “dhakosla patra” (hypocricy document).
The Congress has, among other things, said in its manifesto that it will invest 6% of GDP in health and education, and that it will strengthen government hospitals and provide high-quality healthcare access to the poor if voted to power.
The party has also promised to enact the Right to Healthcare Act and guarantee every citizen free diagnostics, out-patient care, free medicines and hospitalisation, through a network of public hospitals and enlisted private hospitals.
Then of course there is its NYAY (Nyuntam Aay Yojana) scheme which envisages the giving of Rs 72,000 a year to 20% or 5 crore of India’s poorest families.
Modi meanwhile praises Chief Minister Biplab Deb, saying the state government had improved the law and order situation and developed infrastructure in only one year.
Election to two Lok Sabha seats in Tripura will be held on April 11 and 18.