Pathanapuram(Kerala): Hitting out at the Sangh Parivar, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi said Tuesday the country was ‘under attack’ from the BJP and RSS, who want to suppress all voices other than their own.
Addressing an election rally at the St Stephen College ground here in Kollam district, Rahul said India should be ruled by people of the country and not just one ideology or person.
“Currently our country is under attack by the BJP and the RSS. They want to suppress all voices other than their own. They believe that only one idea should rule India while we believe that the people should rule India. We do not believe that India should be ruled by one person. They (BJP and RSS) say if we do not believe in their ideas we will destroy you,” the Congress president said.
“Prime Minister said ‘Congress Mukt Bharat’. That means they will erase the idea of Congress in India. But what we are saying is that we do not agree with you. We will fight you to convince you that you are wrong. We will beat you in the election. But we will not use violence against you…,” Rahul added.
On his decision to contest a second seat from Wayanad, the Congress chief said his party wants every person in the country to feel that each voice matters and hence he chose the Kerala constituency due it its history of tolerance and understanding of different cultures.
“I chose Kerala because you are a very good example… Your history of tolerance, understanding different cultures, history of connecting with the rest of the world, not with the inferiority but with confidence…,” Rahul said.
Lashing out at Modi, he said, “In the last five years, our Prime Minister promised several things. Two crore job opportunities, Rs 15 lakh eposits in bank accounts and price support for farmers. Has any of it happened,” Rahul asked.
Raking up the Rafale deal once more, Rahul alleged that Rs 30,000 crore gained by Anil Ambani through the deal was almost equivalent to one year’s NREGA (National Rural Employment Guarantee Act).
Promising a separate budget for farmers, Gandhi said he would ask the state government to fulfill the promises made by it to the cashew farmers in the state.
Rahul, who refrained from attacking the CPI(M)-led LDF government in state once again, however, thanked ‘every single Keralite, regardless of any party’, for the support given to him to contest from the state.
“We are interested in your voice. We are interested in removing fear from your heart. We are open to any conversation. We are not here to force ideology on you. You are our ideology,” asserted the Congress chief.