Guwahati: Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday promised to empower the common people especially women to power the country on fast track of development and dismissed his bête noir Narendra Modi’s call to wipe out Congress from the country in 2014 polls.
“Congress is not only a party but also a philosophy of love and peace that can’t be wiped out.Those who are talking of wiping Congress out in the India are ignorant about the power of spirit of love and harmony that forms the basis of Congress philosophy and that have sustained India, the nation, for over 3000 years,” he said addressing a mammoth public rally in Guwahati.
He had praise for the youth of the Northeastern region for being able to carve a niche for themselves in rest of the country especially in the service sector through their efficiency.
Referring to the ‘tragic’ death of Arunachali student Nido Taniam in New Delhi, Rahul said a very stringent anti-racial law should be brought about in the country to safeguard people from all parts anywhere in the country.
Rahul who arrived here for a two-day visit to Assam, said, “ India is like a guldasta (bouquet of flowers).This country can be run with love, peace and harmony. There is no need to wipe out anything here. Ghamand (pride) has no place here. The BJP talks of Hindutva, but they have not read Gita which teaches us to deal with fellow people with heart, love but not with pride.
Congress is a party of great leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and it has thrived on the philosophy of love, peace and harmony. The same philosophy has kept the country going since days of great kings like Akbar.”
He said empowering the common people especially women was of prime concern for Congress. “India can’t become a super power without empowering its women which constitute almost 50per cent of the population. I want to see women occupying 50 per cent of seats in Lok Sabha, Rajya Sanha and state assemblies in coming days.”
“I am not a leader who wants your (people’s) power at my hands to run the country. I am a leader who wants to give power to the people, listen to the people and learn from the people because you have better knowledge about your problems that those sitting in New Delhi like me. So, the priority is to empower the common people to take decisions to solve their problems. Some leaders come and say they will change the country. But leaders can hardly change the country. It is the people who can change the country ,” Rahul said.
He claimed that during the last ten years the Congress-led UPA government could bring 15 crore people above the poverty line and it would now focus on welfare of those 70 crore people in the country who are neither in the middle class nor below the poverty line. “ We want to make lives of those 70 crore people who work as drivers, security guards etc. better and bring them to middle class bracket. But our commitment to work for the poor and down trodden will continue.”
“The BJP say they will do in three months what the country could not achieve in the 70 years. By saying so they have only laughed at you as for the last 70 years whatever development has occurred only because of the people. Developments have not been brought about by any government or any PM, Rahul said.
He belittled the BJP’s charges of rampant corruption during the UPA regime saying that it was the UPA government which empowered the common people of the country by bringing about the RTI Act which has given tight to every citizen to know what is happening in every government department.
“For Congress citizens from any nook and corner of the country are equal in status wherever they work and live. But for them (BJP) a Sikh is an outsider in Gujarat, people from UP and Bihar are outsider in Maharashtra and people from Maharashtra are outsiders in UP and Bihar,” Rahul said lambasting the BJP for his divisive outlook.
Rahul asks Gogoi to assist family of self-immolation victim
Guwahati: Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi today said he has asked Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi to assist the family of the farmer activist who died after setting himself ablaze here.
“The incident of self-immolation was very sad and I have asked Gogoiji to help the family in all possible ways,” Gandhi said at a rally here. “Pyar se kaam kijiye. Congress pyar ki party hai, hinsa ki nahi. (We have to work with love. Congress is a party of love and not violence)”.
Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti activist Pranab Boro immolated himself outside the state secretariat on Monday, demanding land deeds, following which his organisation called a 12-hour Guwahati bandh protesting his death.
Gandhi said the attack and killing of Arunachal Pradesh student Nido Tania was “unfortunate and strict laws have to be brought in to deal with such incidents. “Nido was our MLA’s son and I feel very bad when I hear about such incidents,” he said.
People from the North East must feel at home wherever they go and there should be no discrimination against them. “I had once gone to a hotel, where I asked the owner why they appointed so many youths from the North East and he said that they did their work very well. This is the general perception about the people of North East,” he said.
Incidents have happened in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar where people from other states have been harassed but this should not be the case, he said. “Wherever people go, they should not think it is not their home. People should get respect wherever they go. They should get love everywhere,” Gandhi added. (PTI)