Kolar (Karnataka) [India], April 17 : Congress leader Rahul Gandhi invoked memories of his grandmother, the late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and asserted that he learned a lot about politics from her grandmother, adding that the "leader should search for unfairness and challenge it without fear".
"I still remember when I was a little boy; I came here with my grandmother to the Kolar gold fields. I remember going all the way down into the mines, where it was very hot, and meeting all the workers there. I remember they had a gold brick that symbolized the wealth that Kolar gives to India. You used to give it through gold, and now you give it through hard work and agriculture," Rahul Gandhi said while addressing a public meeting in Kolar.
"I learned a lot about politics from my grandmother. And when I was small, I didn't understand that she was teaching me many things about politics. Now, many people think politics is very complicated, but this was not Indira Gandhi ji's way of doing politics. In all her lessons, the main thing she told me was that the leader only has one job and one technique: search carefully for unfairness. When one sees it, challenge it without fear," he remembers her grandmother's lesson.
The Wayand MP further said that the condition in India is that the 22 people in the country have the same amount of money that 70 crore people in India have.
"The Prime Minister gave 22 people, the amount of money that is required to run MGNREGA in India for 24 years. When we were in power in Delhi, we waived off farm loans and bank loans of India's farmers. This country has crores of farmers and if today we start and continue to waive off their (farmers) loans for 24 years, that amount won't be equal to what PM Modi has given to 25 people. What you (PM Modi) have done to 22 people is an insult to farmers and a crime against their families. The condition of India is that the 22 people in the country have the same amount of money that 70 crore people in India have. They have unlimited money and resources, and the rest of India watches it. Whatever Mr. Adani wants, Narendra Modi hands it over to him," he said.
Rahul Gandhi said that Congress is committed to delivering 5 Guarantees if the party comes to power after Lok Sabha elections.
"We are committed to delivering on 5 guarantees when we win the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. We will give farmers a guaranteed MSP for their products. We will waive off bank loans for our farmers. We are going to give Rs. 1 lakh per year to India's poorest women. We are going to conduct a Caste Census and a Financial Survey at the national level. Under the 'Pehli Naukri Pakki' scheme, we will provide a one-year apprenticeship to every diploma holder or college graduate. Apprentices will get Rs. 1 lakh a year," he added.
Highlighting the fulfillment of the party's guarantees made during the Karnataka assembly elections, Rahul Gandhi said that the state government has proudly fulfilled all the guarantees in the state.
"When the Congress government of Karnataka gives Rs. 2,000 a month to over a crore women, it makes me happy. When we give 200 units of free power to 1.6 crore households, we help the poorest people in our land. When we give 10 kgs of rice to 1.18 crore families, we build this nation. How can people who are hungry build the nation? When we give free bus tickets to our sisters and mothers in Karnataka and Rs. 3000 a month to unemployed graduates, we are creating fairness in India" he said.
Retierating that only three of the 90 secretaries in the Government of India are OBCs, and that this number is an "insult" to the community, Rahul Gandhi said, "Out of the 90 secretaries in the GoI, only 3 are OBCs. 90 per cent of India has no say in how the budget is going to be distributed. Where are the OBCs, Dalits, Adivasis, poor general castes, and minorities? Where do they work? They are farmers and labourers, and if they work in the GoI, they work under a contract and can be thrown out at any time!," he said.
Wayanad MP said that the BJP government in Delhi is the master of spreading unfairness.
"The PM gave 22 people the amount of money that is required to run MGNREGA for 24 years. When the UPA was in power, we waived off bank loans for India's farmers. If we continue to waive off farmers' bank loans for the next 24 years, it still would not amount to the money that Modi has given to 22 businessmen," he said.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the Congress and JD-S fought together against the BJP and the combine was decimated. The BJP had won a record 25 seats; Congress and JD-S won just one seat each.
The BJP's alliance partner, Janata Dal (Secular), is contesting from Mandya under the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) this time.
Karnataka is going to the polls in two phases. The southern segments of the state will vote on April 26 in the second phase, and those in the northern parts will vote in the second phase on May 7 in the third phase.