‘Data available’: Congress backs Rahul Gandhi’s claims of investments in Maharashtra transferred to Gujarat | India News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Tuesday defended party leader and opposition leader Rahul Gandhi’s recent comments accusing the ruling party of diverting investments from Maharashtra to Gujarat.
Speaking to ANI, Ramesh said there is concrete data to support the claim that the BJP has favored Gujarat over Maharashtra in awarding crucial projects.
Ramesh’s comments came after the BJP filed a complaint with the Election Commission of India (ECI), alleging that Rahul’s statements were aimed at sowing discord between states. The BJP alleged that his comments, made during a campaign speech in Mumbai on November 6, were false and divisive.
According to Ramesh, several planned investments and projects meant for Maharashtra were diverted to Gujarat. “What are they complaining about? What did Rahul Gandhi say? Everyone has said it. The papers say that several projects and investments that were planned to come to Maharashtra have been shifted to Gujarat by the Prime Minister,” he said.
Ramesh also criticized the BJP for pressuring investors to shift their projects to Gujarat. “Those who want to invest in Maharashtra should not be threatened and told to go to Gujarat. Maharashtra already has the infrastructure to support these investments,” Ramesh added.
The Congress leader further expressed confidence in his party’s prospects in the upcoming Maharashtra and Jharkhand Assembly elections. Ramesh said that Congress has forged alliances with Maha Vikas Aghadi in Maharashtra and the JMM Congress in Jharkhand, would secure a clear mandate despite the BJP’s negative campaigns.
This comes after the BJP took action before the Election Commission against Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi for violating the model code of conduct. The BJP alleged that Rahul’s comments were an attempt to spread falsehoods and stoke divisions between states and demanded that an FIR be filed for “malicious and defamatory” campaigning.
Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, who led the BJP delegation to the Election Commission, condemned the Congress leader’s statements. “Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi tried to spread falsehoods and create conflict between states. It is false propaganda and must be stopped,” Meghwal said.