BJP's manifesto a cut and paste job of old documents: P Chidambaram

Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], Apr 4 (ANI): Congress leader P Chidambaram on Saturday hit out at BJP calling its manifesto for the ensuing Lok Sabha polls -- 'a cut and paste job of old documents'.
"Who is discussing BJP Manifesto? I have not seen or heard anyone talking about BJP's manifesto. It is a "cut and paste job" of old documents, he said addressing a press conference here.
"The only manifesto which is being discussed across the country is Congress manifesto. Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi does not discuss his party's manifesto. I have not seen any BJP minister who speaks about its manifesto. They are only speaking against the Congress manifesto. The only manifesto, which is before the people, is the Congress manifesto," he said.
Claiming that the Congress and its declared allies are ahead of BJP and their declared allies in the fourth phase of the Lok Sabha elections, the Congress leader said: "At the end of the fifth phase, we are confident that our alliance will maintain a lead over BJP's alliance. The last time BJP swept all 25 seats in Rajasthan, 26 in Gujarat, nearly all the seats in Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh. The reason is that the NDA government, even more specifically the Narendra Modi government, has not fulfilled any of its promises to the people, including Rs 15 lakh to every citizen."
"Nobody even questioned the promise given by BJP, not even the media. Just multiply 15 lakh with 130 crore citizens of India. It is an astronomical amount. That promised turned out to be the biggest hook, the biggest jumla in India's election history," the former Finance Minister said.
Chidambaram further criticised the BJP for the increasing unemployment rate in the country and said: "Modi said he will create 2 crore jobs. On the contrary, at the end of five years, India's unemployment rate is 7.6 per cent, the highest in 45 years.
"The government will not let NSSO publish the data. Where are the jobs? We have learnt 4 lakh government posts are lying vacant and 20 lakh post are vacant in the state government. It was our first election promises that we will fill all these 24 lakh vacant posts by March 21, 2020. This is a low hanging fruit and we will do it."
Chidambaram said Modi also said he will double farmers' income but in the last five years, farmers' death has doubled.
"Ask any farmer he will say the same. That is why we are promising a separate Kisan budget. For the first time, people will know what is really being done for agriculture. If a farmer defaults on a loan, he will not be jailed. It is a big promise," he added.
Asserting that if BJP comes to power there will be no Nyay to people of India, Chidambaram said: Nyay scheme (Nyuntam Aay Yojna) is justice for India's poorest people. "Around 20 per cent of Indian population lives below the poverty line. Nyay will revolutionise the poorest part of India's economy."
"BJP can say they cannot implement NYAY because it is unimplementable for them. The biggest idea they have done is to ask people to do yoga," he added. (ANI)