Rahul after Chintan Shivir: Congress for all-inclusive, ‘single’ nation, not ‘two Indias’
In his first public address post the three-day Chintan Shivir in Udaipur, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi reiterated on Monday that India was witnessing a fight between two ideologies, with the BJP working to “divide” the nation and the Congress taking everyone along.
“It is a fight between two ideologies. On one hand, there is Congress ideology, which says that you have to take everyone along, to respect everyone, and to protect everyone’s history and culture. On the other hand, the BJP divides people, and crushes and stifles; and it stifles and erases adivasis’ history and culture. This battle is going on in India,” Rahul said at a rally in Banswara, a Rajasthan district known for its tribal culture.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi during a public meeting at Karana Village, Bichawada Gram Panchayat, in Banswara. Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and Congress MLA Sachin Pilot are also seen. (PTI Photo/AICC)
“We help the weak; they help the select strongest industrialists” he said, adding that “the BJP wants to create two Indias. One for the rich, for 2-3 big industrialists, and other for the poor, adivasis, Dalits, and the backward people. We do not want two Indias; we want a single nation where everyone gets an opportunity to fulfil their dream.”
He said that BJP had destroyed the economy with its policies. “The BJP has attacked our economy. The prime minister implemented demonetisation and imposed the wrong GST (Good and Services Tax). This destroyed our economy, while the UPA had strengthened it,” he said.
“You know the situation of today’s India. Every youth knows that they cannot get employment in India. You all can see the price rise and it keeps increasing,” he said.
Rahul praised the Ashok Gehlot government, and especially its measures for health and English education. “But I am quite happy that the Rajasthan government is working for the poor and adivasis. Rajasthan is ahead of all the other states when it comes to health. Here, there is free treatment up to Rs 10 lakh. You can go to any state and ask; no state is giving so much money to the poor for health.”
“Today Gehlot-ji was telling me that English-medium schools are being opened. The adivasis and the poor get immense help from English schools. After (learning) to speak English, they can get a job anywhere and go anywhere in India and out of India,” he said.
