Jaishankar takes a dig at Rahul Gandhi’s 'Khata-Khat' promise, emphasizes hard work
- In Reports
- 04:14 PM, Sep 14, 2024
- Myind Staff
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, in a veiled jibe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, said that life requires hard work and diligence, not instant solutions, during an address to the Indian community in Geneva on Friday. The comment came in response to Gandhi's "khata-khat" remark made during the 2024 Lok Sabha election campaign, where he promised quick monetary transfers to women if Congress came to power.
Jaishankar, while discussing India's infrastructural development and reforms carried out under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government, remarked, “Until we develop the human resources, it requires hard work, until you build the infrastructure, until you have those policies. So, life is not 'khata-khat.' Life is hard work. Life is diligence.”
The phrase "khata-khat" was used by Rahul Gandhi during an election rally, where he promised the immediate transfer of ₹1 lakh to a woman from each poor household if Congress won. The term implied that the transfer would happen quickly, without delay.
Jaishankar’s remarks came as he stressed that development in a country requires time and effort. “Anybody who's held a job and laboured at it knows it. So that's my message to you: we have to work hard at it,” Jaishankar added.
He also underlined the importance of manufacturing in driving the nation’s growth. “There are people who say that we are incapable of it, we should not even attempt it. Can you be a major power in the world without manufacturing? Because a major power needs technology. Nobody can develop technology without developing manufacturing,” Jaishankar said, highlighting the need for India to continue its focus on domestic production.
This comes after Rahul Gandhi's comments during an interaction with students at the University of Texas, where he compared India’s unemployment issues with countries like China and Vietnam, which he described as "production hubs." Gandhi remarked, "The West has an employment problem, as does India. But many countries, like China and Vietnam, don't face such a challenge because they are production hubs."
Jaishankar’s remarks have added a new layer to the ongoing political debate about India's economic growth and the challenges ahead.
Image source: ABP live
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