"Prime Minister's PR dominating over vision of progress": Priyanka Gandhi Vadra

New Delhi [India], January 10 (ANI): Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra accused the Central government of focusing on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'personal publicity,' and claimed that "substantial funds" have been spent on the Prime Minister's Public Relations (PR) while the government failed to provide scholarships that could have transformed the lives of many youths.
She raised concerns over the suspension of the 'National Talent Search Examination' (NTSE) scholarship, which traditionally helped bright students pursue higher education and contribute to the nation's growth.
Citing a news report, she stated that the scholarship program launched in 1963 provided opportunities for numerous children across the country, but has been halted for the past three years, leading to the loss of opportunities for aspiring students.
Priyanka Gandhi accused the government of prioritising the Prime Minister's personal publicity over the welfare of young students and pointed out that while 62 crores were spent on public relations for the Prime Minister during this period, a mere 40 crores could have funded the scholarships for the same duration.
"The Prime Minister's PR dominates the vision of progress. The 'National Talent Search Examination Scholarship, started in 1963, paved the way for the future of many children, they became partners in the country's progress, and the doors of good education opened for them," Priyanka Gandhi stated in her post.
"In three years, 40 crores would have been spent on scholarship, while 62 crores were spent on publicity," she added. "With the closure of scholarships, the road to a bright future for lakhs of youth was closed, but the Prime Minister's PR did not stop."
Earlier on Thursday, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra expressed concern over the deteriorating health of farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who has been on an indefinite hunger strike and urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to hold talks with the farmers.
Accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Centre of showing 'cruelty' towards farmers, the Lok Sabha MP appealed to Prime Minister Modi to put aside his "ego" and initiate talks with the farmers.
The Congress leader called for an urgent dialogue between the government and the farmers to resolve the ongoing issue and end the hunger strike.
Dallewal, a key figure in the farmers' movement, had begun his hunger strike as part of a protest against the "non-fulfilment of promises" made by the Central Government to the farmers during the 2021 agitation.
Dallewal, the convener of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political), has been on a fast-unto-death at the Khanouri border to press the Centre to accept the farmers' demands, including a legal guarantee of minimum support price (MSP) for crops. (ANI)