Photo: Screengrab
NEW DELHI: A farmer in Rajasthan’s Banswara on Thursday left the crowd in splits, and even drew a chuckle from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, when he made a pointed jibe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s infamous “aalu se sona” remark.The exchange took place during the Prime Minister’s interaction with beneficiaries of the PM-KUSUM scheme, an initiative to promote solar energy in farming, during his visit to Banswara. Farmers from Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka joined the event.
One local farmer, praising the scheme, said his long-cherished dream had been fulfilled through the installation of a solar plant on his land. Taking a swipe at Gandhi, he added: “Main maanata hoon ki logon ne kaha ki aalu se sona hoga. Aalu se sona to nahin hua lekin hamaaree jameen se aapane sona hamen jaroor de diya.”The quip instantly lit up the audience, sparking laughter across the venue and a smile from PM Modi himself.BJP I-T department chief Amit Malviya also shared the clip of the exchange, saying: “Prime Minister interacting with PM-KUSUM beneficiaries in Banswara. You just can’t miss the rustic sense of humour here”. The farmer’s taunt referred to Gandhi’s 2017 claim in Uttar Pradesh that technology could be devised to turn potatoes into gold — a political hyperbole that has been cited by the BJP as a sign of Rahul Gandhi’s “disconnect from reality.” The Prime Minister lauded the farmers of Banswara for turning to solar energy and leading the way in sustainable agriculture. “Banswara ke kisaanon ne suraj ki roshni se apne khet ki takdeer badal di hai,” he remarked, highlighting how the scheme is helping farmers not only grow food but also generate and sell surplus energy.The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of Anushakti Vidhyut Nigam Ltd’s (ASHVINI) Mahi Banswara Rajasthan Atomic Power Project (4X700 MW) worth around Rs 42,000 crore in line with his commitment to transform India’s power sector to ensure affordable, reliable, and sustainable power supply.It will be one of the largest nuclear plants in the country, supplying reliable base load energy, and will strengthen India’s position in environmental stewardship and the evolving nuclear energy landscape.Mahi Banswara Rajasthan Atomic Power Project comprises four indigenous 700 MW Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors with advanced safety features, designed and developed by NPCIL.
