New Delhi, Dec 25 (UNI) BJPs Chandni Chowk MP Praveen Khandelwal on Wednesday strongly criticised Rahul Gandhi over his recent remarks on trade and business community, accusing the Congress of again attempting to mislead traders and spread confusion across the country.
Reacting to a social media post by Rahul Gandhi following his meeting with what he described as representatives of the Vaishya community and traders, Khandelwal said claims such as “trade is on the verge of collapse” reflect a renewed effort by the Congress to distort facts.
Khandelwal said it was unfortunate that a party that ruled the country for decades continued to lecture traders despite having historically subjected them to harassment through anti-trade policies.
Khandelwal said the Vaishya community and the trading class have always been the backbone of India’s economy but suffered the most during the Congress rule. He pointed to bank nationalisation, the licence-permit-quota system, inspector raj, corruption, and persistent policy instability as factors that kept trade shackled for years.
Highlighting the present dispensation’s approach, the MP said reforms such as the Goods and Services Tax, improvements in Ease of Doing Business, digitisation, greater transparency in the tax system, and the renewed dignity accorded to trade are the outcome of clear intent and decisive policymaking under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said the government remains in constant dialogue with trade organisations and is working towards practical, on-ground solutions.
Khandelwal said that Rahul Gandhi’s use of terms like “monopoly” and “feudal mindset” reflect economic ignorance and political frustration. He asserted that a party that failed to listen to small traders while framing policies has lost the moral authority to speak about the future of India’s trading community.
“The real battle for traders will not be fought through political theatrics, but through concrete solutions,” Khandelwal said, adding that this battle from the streets to Parliament is being fought by standing firmly with the trading community under the leadership of the BJP and the Prime Minister.
Emphasising that the Vaishya community needs empowerment rather than intimidation, Khandelwal said this was being ensured by the BJP government and would continue in the future. He asserted that the trading community would accept no sermons from the Congress, given its long history of anti-trade policies.
Rahul Gandhi misleading traders again, says BJP MP Khandelwal
