Maharashtra Congress to observe death anniversary of ‘achhe din’

Mumbai: The Congress party in Maharashtra will stage a statewide protest on May 26 against the Modi government’s “false” promises made before elections a year ago and observe it as ‘punyatithi’ or death anniversary of ‘achhe din ((good days).’

Criticising the Narendra Modi government at the centre, Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president and former chief minister Ashok Chavan said at a press conference here on Friday his party would expose the failures and betrayal of people who voted this government to power at the centre. He also criticised the BJP-led government in Maharashtra for not fulfilling the promises made to people.

Congress workers across major cities and towns in the state will protest with banners and slogans against the Modi government.

Citing how the Modi government had failed on all fronts after assuming power a year ago, Chavan said nothing was done to check inflation even though it had assured people of big changes — of bringing down prices of petrol, diesel, gas and essential food stuffs and create 2.5 million jobs a year. “It had made bombastic announcements that black money stashed overseas would be brought back in 100 days and that it would deposit Rs1.5 million (Dh86,746) in the bank account of every Indian citizen, bring down agricultural production cost and increase the minimum support price of crops, help drought-hit farmers and provide cheap drugs,” said Chavan.

Last May lentils like ‘tur dal’ which cost Rs5,800 to Rs6,000 per quintal, has now shot up to Rs9,500 to Rs10,500 per quintal, he pointed out.

Even though international crude oil and petrol prices declined, the government has not taken steps to bring down prices in the country, according to him. “On May 26 2014, crude oil per barrel was $110 (Dh404) and the price of diesel was Rs63 and petrol Rs80 per litre. Today, the price of a barrel is $66. But diesel costs Rs59 and petrol is Rs75 per litre.” Even the prices of essential commodities have gone up, he added.

“It has also failed to deal sternly with Pakistan and China as it had promised before the elections,” said the state Congress chief.

Chavan said during the election campaign, Modi, the prime ministerial candidate of the BJP, had used the expression “ache din aane wale hain” (good days are coming) in 100 days of coming to power, but now “they are shamelessly saying that there was no time frame.”

He also brought to the notice of the state government that 1,200 farmers had committed suicide in Maharashtra this year and the government was not serious about providing relief to them. “Even I am not in favour of loan waiver. But the situation is such that loan waiver is warranted because there have been repeated natural calamities.”