Centre turned farming, education, healthcare into financial commodities: Rahul Gandhi

In a renewed attack on the Centre, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday said that the Government of India has turned noble professions like farming, education and healthcare into financial commodities.

During an interaction titled 'Educators Meet' at Tirunelveli's St Xavier College, Gandhi said, "I personally do not believe that education is a financial commodity. I believe that education should be available to everyone."

Gandhi, who is touring Tamil Nadu for the second day as part of his campaign for the April 6 assembly polls, hit out at the National Democratic Alliance (NDA)-led union government and said, "It is duty of a nation to give education and healthcare to its people. What is happening here is that everything is being seen as a financial commodity," he remarked.

"Agriculture is being seen as a financial commodity, education is being seen as a financial commodity, healthcare is being seen as a financial commodity. Basically, if you have money, you can get anything. If you do not have money, you get nothing," the Congress leader said.

Gandhi also took to Twitter to slam the Central government.

"GOI has turned noble professions like farming, education & healthcare into financial commodities for the benefit of a few cronies. We're fighting this without any anger, hatred or violence. And non-violence always wins," he tweeted.

This comes ahead of the 234-member Tamil Nadu assembly elections will be held in a single phase on April 6 and the counting of votes will take place on May 2.

The ruling All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) is contesting the polls in a pre-poll alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). MK Stalin's Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) has joined hands with the Congress party.

Actor-turned-politician Kamal Hassan's party Makkal Neethi Maiam (MNM) is also in the fray this time.

.

( With inputs from ANI )