Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi: Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, took a sharp jab at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the central government on Tuesday, accusing them of burdening the common man through heavy penalties imposed by public sector banks. Gandhi described this “penalty system” as part of Modi’s “chakravyuh” strategy aimed at exploiting ordinary citizens.
“In Narendra Modi’s Amritkaal, even the ’empty pockets’ of common Indians are being targeted. The government, which waived off ?16 lakh crore for its industrialists, has collected ?8,500 crore from poor Indians unable to maintain the minimum balance,” Gandhi stated on social media platform X. He further added, “The ‘penalty system’ is Modi’s Chakravyuh, trying to break the back of common Indians. But remember, the people of India are not Abhimanyu; they are Arjun, ready to break the Chakravyuh and respond to every atrocity.”
Gandhi’s remarks followed a written response in the Lok Sabha, revealing that public sector banks collected approximately ?8,500 crore in penalties over the last five years, starting from FY 2019-20. Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary informed the Lok Sabha that state-run banks imposed ?2,331 crore in penalties on depositors during FY24 alone for failing to maintain the average monthly minimum balance.
Criticizing the Union Budget, Gandhi claimed it primarily aimed to reinforce the structure of monopoly. During the Lok Sabha debate on Budget 2024-25, he asserted that the INDIA bloc would ensure legal guarantees for MSP and a caste census.
Using the ‘chakravyuh’ metaphor, Gandhi suggested an atmosphere of fear, with a group of six entrapping the entire country, which the INDIA bloc vowed to dismantle. Drawing a parallel to the Mahabharata legend where Abhimanyu was killed in a multi-layered military formation, Gandhi emphasized that the modern ‘chakravyuh’ resembles a lotus, the BJP’s election symbol.
“In the 21st century, another ‘chakravyuh’ has been prepared. It is in the form of a lotus, and the prime minister wears the symbol on his chest. What was done to Abhimanyu is being done to India, to its youth, women, farmers, and small and medium businesses,” Gandhi concluded.
