Modi has murdered' the soul of RBI, wants his face on everything: Rahul

Rishikesh (Uttarakhand): Accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of impinging upon the autonomy of institutions like the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi on Monday said the Central Bank's Governor was informed of his decision on demonetisation just a day before the move.

"RBI was created as an institution which would work independently free from all political pressure. However, a letter was shot off to the RBI Governor (Urjit Patel) just a day before demonetisation, saying that Modi ji had taken a decision to withdraw the 500 and 1000 rupee notes from circulation," Rahul said at a rally in Rishikesh.

"The Congress party made and strengthened the RBI and ensured that such an institution does not bow down to government pressure...but in a minute the soul of this institution, which is roughly 60-70 years old, was murdered by Modi," he said.

Charging the Prime Minister with taking his autocratic style of functioning too far, he said Modi was out to impose his face on everything.

Citing the recent Khadi and Village Industries Commission Diary controversy as an instance where Mahatma Gandhi's face was replaced by that of Modi, he said if things go on like this the day was not far when Ramlilas will be staged with actors wearing Modi's mask instead of that of Lord Ram.

"If things go on like this you would find even Ramlila actors wearing the mask of Modi from next year instead of that of Lord Ram. Modi ji wants the rule of one person. He wants his voice to drown out all other voices," Rahul said.

Alleging that Modi's professed commitment to Khadi was fake, he said 15 lakh suit and Charkha could not go together.

The Congress Vice President said Charkha stood for promotion of cottage and handicrafts industries and is Modi's commitment to Khadi was real then he would not have worked 'day in and day out' for 50 chosen industrialists.

Pointing out that Modi was often seen in photos posing with the rich, Rahul said it was an indication that farmers and the poor did not figure in his scheme of things.

He said Modi was imposing himself on the nation by adopting a policy of listening to none.

"His approach is to do what he wants at any cost come what may. He changes the land acquisition laws to suit the purposes of industrialists. He can even snatch the lands of farmers without taking them into confidence and distribute them among his industrialist friends," Rahul added.

The Congress Vice President accused the Prime Minister of ruling by creating fear in the minds of people and said he was pitting religions and castes against each other.

"There is no need to fear anything. It is a country of lions," Rahul said, adding that the Congress party's ideology is fearlessness.

He urged his party workers to take the message of fearlessness, religious amity and development to the masses in poll-bound Uttarakhand.

Claiming that the Congress stood for the national flag, Rahul said 15,000 Congress workers had laid down their lives to uphold the national flag.

He described his party as the one which has fought for the country's independence and said working for Congress meant working for the national flag.

Attacking BJP's ideological parent RSS, Rahul alleged it had not unfurled the national flag at its headquarters in Nagpur for 52 years.

RSS should be asked why it did not do so, the Congress Vice President said, adding that the saffron outfit had "no respect" for the national flag.

Asking Modi to show the same urgency in the implementation of One Rank One Pension (OROP) which he had displayed in imposition of demonetisation, Rahul said ex-servicemen were still protesting at the Jantar Mantar in Delhi.

"If demonetisation can be done in a minute, OROP too can be implemented in a minute," he said.

Rahul also demanded a green bonus for Uttarakhand in recognition of its contribution to environment conservation.

Assembly elections in Uttarakhand will be held on February 15 in a single phase for the 70 seats.