Camp: BR hills, Chamarajanagar (Karnataka) Date: 25th March 2008
Starting his 5 day tour of Karnataka, Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi arrived at BR Hills of Chamarajanagar district. Striking a personal cord with tribal people present he said "just before I arrived here, I had honey and bread at one of your homes. Thank you very much for it. I am very impressed with the work done in your schools and hospitals. As I walked in here, I saw traditional burial grounds. When I inquired as to how old they were, I was told that they were 3000 years old. I have also noticed that forests here are very well preserved."
Rahul Gandhi was particularly impressed with how well preserved the forests in this part of the country are. Complimenting the tribal people he said, "at a school here I was told that after 14 years of research, it has been found that tribal people don't hamper our environment. While they were telling me that it took 14 years to figure this out, I said to myself what a strange waste it was. There have been forests here, there have been tribal people here for the last 3000 years. Yet we still need to prove that tribal people do not damage the forests. As part of my work I meet lots of foreign leaders who tell me that we need to take a very serious look at our environment. I tell them that in my country, our tribal people have been taking care of it for 3000 years."
Citing an example of how knowledgeable tribal people are, Rahul Gandhi said, " I would like to share one more story related to you, but it is from another part of our country. When Tsunami struck the Andaman Islands' the tribal people ran away from the sea, while the non tribal ran towards the sea." He explained that the non tribal people had rushed towards the sea hoping that when the water receded there would be lots of fish ashore. Adding to this he said "This is a very good analogy. We look at short term gains ignoring the long term gains. Tribal people always have the right approach. As an aftermath of Tsunami, not a single tribal died. You have very valuable knowledge within you. There is wisdom of your own situation within you. And for this wisdom we thank you very much. We ignore this wisdom at our own peril."
Addressing tribal youth, Rahul Gandhi said "I would request and advice you to step forward and take up leadership which is waiting for you". People gave him a memorandum and while going through it he said that the central government has done a lot of work for tribal development. And at the center of it is the Tribal Act. "It is a weapon to empower you. There is no question of not getting it implemented", he added.
Summing up the speech Rahul Gandhi told the tribal people, "Rest of the world will pay attention to your views on environment. "
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi reached Raichur on his five day tour to Karnataka. On the outskirts of the town he stopped at a roadside makeshift home of a factory worker. The wife of the factory worker, Buddama and her three kids interacted with the congress MP. Rahul Gandhi asked the mother if one of the child was suffering from some ailment in his eyes, Buddama told him that due to poverty she cannot take her child to the doctor. Congress MP called on one of the youth congress activist to make necessary arrangement for the family. Buddama was very happy to have Rahul Gandhi at her jhuggi but was sad because she had nothing to offer Rahul to eat.
Rahul Gandhi: I am sensitive to poverty, but to fully understand it one has to be poor
Addressing a press conference before returning to Delhi, Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi faced a volley of questions from the press that ranged from the loan waiver to his marriage plans.
Summing up his 5 day Karnataka tour Rahul Gandhi said, "In the last few days, I spoke to a lot of people about their lives and their difficulties. The central idea of politics is to have conversations and I value the contact I have."
On the issue of loan waiver he said "We are a country of a billion people. We are a country of a large number of poor people. We are growing very fast, but we need to take the poor people along." He said the loan waiver was a step in that direction. Calling it a very powerful move, Rahul Gandhi thanked the Prime Minister for having taken such a decision.
Referring to opposition that the decision of loan waiver had met, Rahul Gandhi said that many had questioned if this move was viable. "When poor farmers get a loan waiver, why do we say it is not economically viable? We don't say the same in case of industrialization. Why this silence. Start viewing poor people with the same frame. Be fair!"
"I am not a poor person, I will never understand poverty the way poor people do. It will be very arrogant of me to think that I understand poverty. I'm sensitive to poverty. I try and understand poverty. But to fully understand poverty, you have to face poverty."
Speaking on the issue of inner party democracy Rahul Gandhi said, "I am asking certain fundamental questions. In India we have democracy but no democracy within parties."
Throughout his Orissa and Karnataka tour Rahul Gandhi has been asking young people to take up leadership and join politics. When asked as to how he will facilitate young people to enter politics, he said "there is a systemic problem. No one tracks their members." Pointing to the real issue of not being in touch with party members and thus not being able to evaluate their performance, he said,
"The systemic answer to it is that there should be a performance based evaluation and the doors should be open to the young people."
Adding to this he said, "It's important that more and more young people are given responsibilities and are involved in politics. The more young people, the better it is!"
When asked if there should be a retirement age for politicians Rahul Gandhi said that young politicians bring with them energy, while the older one's, experience. Ideally there should be a convergence of the two in politics.
Rahul Gandhi on several occasions has pointed out that lack of development is due to a collapse of delivery systems. Answering a question on how to better the mechanism he said, "When you have governments that are fighting among themselves, which Karnataka till recently was facing, it is bound to result in poor service delivery."
One of the reporters present asked him about his recent interaction with leader of the opposition Mr. LK Advani at an airport. Reportedly Mr. Advani had expressed his views on the emerging importance of regional parties. Rahul Gandhi said, "Mr. Advani had his views…it was a private conversation and I respect that and will not discuss it with the press."
Dodging a question on his marriage plans, Rahul Gandhi said it was a personal decision. But he indulged the press by answering a question on how women find him extremely charming.
Amidst peals of laughter from all present he said, "It's the most difficult question. I appreciate that women think I am charming.'
Mr. Speaker Sir, thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak in support of the budget 2008-2009.
Each one of us is responsible for listening to the people of India and reflecting their voices in this august house. It is therefore a privilege for me to put forth my views here today. Mr. Speaker Sir, there are two distinct voices among India’s people today. The louder of these voices comes from an India that is empowered, an India that has proven to itself and to the world that it will shape the future. It is an India rich with opportunity and talent, straining to be unleashed. The other voice is yet to be empowered. It is not as loud, but reverberates across the country. It is the voice of disenfranchised people reminding us that they too have potential to fulfil. They too are enterprising, hardworking, and self-reliant, and they ask only to be given an opportunity. Some believe that the progress of these two India’s is not just separable but mutually exclusive. Some believe that India can shine only when we direct attention and resources to those Indians who already soar, while ignoring the aspirations of the disempowered. Others believe that the poor will progress only if we stifle our nation’s entrepreneurial energy. Our government believes that India’s growth can and must be symbiotic. The two India’s are fundamentally inseparable. Our philosophy is not to choose which India to nurture, but to grow together.
There are two reasons for this view. First, the poverty of our people is an assault on our principles. Freedom from poverty is not a matter of charity or luck; it is a right. I am proud that under the leadership of the Prime Minister, our government has recognized and institutionalized this idea. The NREGA delivers employment as a right. The Tribal Act delivers ownership of land as a right. The RTI Act delivers information as a right. The Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill seeks to deliver basic minimums rights to those being displaced. Second, the speed and continuity of our economic growth depend on inclusion. A small, resource-rich section of India cannot grow indefinitely while a vast, disempowered nation looks on. If opportunity is limited to a few, our growth will be a fraction of our capability as a nation. Mr. Speaker Sir, permit me to give an example to illustrate why it is crucial to connect these two India’s: On the one hand we have thousands of young Indians looking for jobs. On the other we have a galloping industry with massive manpower demand. But we have invested too little in developing the skills of our youth. This renders them unqualified to do the jobs our industries require. Indian enterprise will realize its full potential not by distancing itself from the poor, but by fully connecting with their aspirations. Mr. Speaker Sir, the true magnitude of our economic potential will only be realized when the voices of the empowered and the aspiring speak as one. This is the core of our ‘aam aadmi’ agenda.
I compliment the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister for giving us a budget that stays true to this goal. A strong voice begins with effective education. The allocation of Rs 34,400 crores to education will allow for 2 lakh more teachers and 5 lakh more classrooms. It will also provide for programs such as mid-day meals, means based scholarships and schools for girls so that the most vulnerable voices are clearly heard. Our investments in expanding IITs, IIMs and other institutions of higher learning will ensure that our brightest minds continue to shine on the world stage. The budget invests extensively in vocational education and the creation of a National Skills Development Organization. This will ensure that our technical training institutions will respond effectively to the voice of our youth. Mr. Speaker Sir, permit me to reflect on a subject critical to our nation’s future. The UPA government has given the nation an education budget 3 and a half times what it inherited. However, we must acknowledge that there are deep structural issues with our delivery infrastructure. It is my conviction that our schools and universities will become worthy of our nation’s voice only when the education sector undergoes a revolution of the kind we saw in telecommunications. Returning to the budget at hand. A child’s voice is much stronger when it is healthy, well fed and sheltered. Our Government has recognized and provided for this. The Rs 16,500 crores allocated to health will help combat illness and disease. Allocations to programs such as Bharat Nirman, the Indira Awaas Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana and Rajiv Gandhi National Drinking Water Mission are delivering to Indians everywhere a minimum standard of life. The budget pays special attention to the poor and makes provisions to support our most marginalized people. The allocation planned for NREGA will take the program
nation wide and give every eligible Indian access to basic social support. The allocation to the Backward Regions Grant Fund will allow us to correct inequalities by directly targeting devastated and chronically neglected regions such as Bundelkhand and K-B-K. This year’s budget has especially heeded the plea of the debt-ridden farmer. A historic decision has been taken to free 40 million of our poorest farmers from the bonds of indebtedness. This decision has corrected a grave injustice and given our small and marginal farmers the ability to look to the future with hope. Mr. Speaker Sir, our nation’s social objectives are being achieved without burdening the economy or the taxpayer. Our economy has grown at 8.8% under the stewardship of the Prime Minister. The UPA government continues to bolster economic growth. The exemption threshold for personal income tax has been raised to Rs. one lakh fifty thousand. The government maintains its sharp focus on enabling enterprise through the creation of infrastructure. For example, the allocation for road transport and highways has risen 70% to Rs. 17,550 crores during the tenure of our government. The continued emphasis on Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission encourages states to build urban infrastructure capable of absorbing the massive migration to our cities. Mr. Speaker Sir, I would like to put forward some suggestions. The loan waiver brings tremendous relief to our farmers. I have discussed the scheme with several experts and would like to make two points. First, the current ceiling of 2 hectares for eligible farmers does not account for land productivity and excludes deserving farmers in poorly irrigated areas. I refer
specifically to dry land areas like Vidarbha. Perhaps, Sir, we could consider making the land ceiling variable based upon land productivity. Second, in some parts of the country, the cropping cycles are such that the bulk of loans have been taken after the cut-off date of March 31, 2007. A single cut-off date unfairly penalizes farmers in these regions. Sir, it would greatly help if localized cut- off dates were considered so that every deserving farmer benefits from the waiver. Finally, Sir, I would like to make a few suggestions regarding service delivery, accountability and transparency in institutions and programs. Recently, some colleagues and I conducted an evaluation of NREGA in our constituencies and high-performing states. We compiled a set of recommendations that we presented to the Honourable Prime Minister. Mr. Speaker Sir, I humbly submit to the Finance Minister that a host of government programs would be better implemented if funds transfers were linked to achieving RTI and social audit objectives. Sir, the budget establishes total financial inclusion as a key objective, and specifically targets SHGs as instruments to access credit. Sir, building SHGs is a resource- intensive process. I humbly request the Finance Minister to consider budgetary provisions and incentives to encourage states to build SHG networks which comprehensively cover the poor. Finally, Sir, in dwelling upon accountability and transparency, I cannot omit to mention our Panchayati Raj Institutions. Panchayati Raj brings the voice of even the poorest Indian into decisions shaping their lives. Therefore, Mr. Speaker Sir, I humbly urge the Finance Minister to place PRIs at the centre of program implementation and create incentives for states to do the same.
With that, Mr. Speaker, Sir, I conclude my submission by once again complimenting the Prime Minister and the UPA government on a landmark budget. Thank You
Speaking at a press conference in Bhubaneshwar, marking the end of his 4 day tour to Orissa, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi began by giving journalists a brief overview of his trip. “It was my first, relatively long tour of Orissa. This 3-4 day trip is the longest I have done in this state. I was actually quite surprised at how disconnected some parts of Orissa are from other parts. Quite surprised at how poor certain parts of Orissa are, in particular how poor certain communities in Orissa are and how disenfranchised they are. I looked at a number of villages. I had relatively close interactions with people and this was uniformly across the board. There is tremendous hardship and poverty here. “
Rahul Gandhi went on to say, “I don’t think Orissa per say is a poor state. There are other states which are poorer. The problem here is delivery and distribution of services to the poor people. And I think central to that problem is the problem you raised. That of resources! And how those resources are used and to whose benefit those resources are used. And what happens to those people who are displaced when those resources are used.”
Answering a question on the falling standards of hockey as a game in India Rahul Gandhi said, “I had visited a tribal academy for hockey players here. One of their biggest complains is that the selection process is unfair. The players who are actually good don’t get access to facilities’, don’t get access to the team. So I think if the pool of resources is wider, if the base of training is wider, things will improve. I don’t think it is specifically one sport, I think it is across the board. Cricket is slightly different because now there is a lot of money involved in cricket. So there things have changed. There is a broadening of talent, of the selection process. Other games are eclipsed by cricket”.
When asked if the implementation of NREGA in Congress ruled states was worse than in states with non congress governments Rahul Gandhi said, “ NREGA is a revolutionary program. Unlike Indira Awaas which just gives people the opportunity to work, NREGA gives people the right to work. I don’t agree that Congress ruled states are worse than non congress ruled states in terms of the implementation of NREGA. I work in U.P, and there is no delivery, whatsoever, of NREGA there. In parts of Orissa I visited there is no delivery, whatsoever of NREGA, at least the portions I visited. I asked people if they had heard about NREGA. A number of people had heard about it, but how many people were given jobs as a result of NREGA. The result was zero, zero, zero all the time”, said an agitated Rahul Gandhi.
Quoting the example of successful implementation of NREGA in Congress ruled Andhra Pradesh, Rahul Gandhi said, “ Andhra Pradesh is by far the best performer as far as NREGA is concerned. I’ve seen the details of their program; I’ve seen how they look at the program. It is benefiting millions of people of Andhra Pradesh. “
“We, the young MP’s of the party went to see the Prime Minister to raise certain issues about the implementation and monitoring of NREGA. There are deficiencies in monitoring and implementation of the program that can be corrected. The meeting with the Prime Minister was quite useful and he said that he would look into it”.
“Another thing I sensed about Orissa is that a lot of the development work done is relatively adhoc. You know you do something here, and you do something elsewhere. To me there seems to be a lack of coherent strategy. Orissa has a lot of natural resources. It’s one of the riches states with regard to natural resources. The way these natural resources are being used could be improved significantly.”
“ I’m not the state government of Orissa, so that poses relatively a big problem. Even though the central government can support Orissa, and it does support Orissa through various programs and funding, in large ways the distribution of those funds, the implementation of those programs is up to the government of Orissa. So that’s a significant problem in addressing the issues of Orissa. I will however have a lot to say to the people at the centre about my views. About what is happening here. Of how the centre can help”.
“ The term Bharat Darshan is a phrase coined by my friends in the media, not by myself. To me the Orissa tour and all such other tours are a journey in understanding and getting close to the people. I don’t think the terminology that is being used in the media is correct. So “The discovery of India tour”, I don’t see it as that for me. It is just learning, understanding and conversing with the people of Orissa. It will continue doing it for the rest of my life. “
When asked for his views on the Marathi, non Marathi controversy in Maharasthra , Rahul Gandhi said, “ We as a party believe that all Indian’s rich or poor are same. He is first an Indian. So every Indian has a right to travel to any other part of the country.”
“ We can sit around here and blame the British, blame the congress, blame somebody else. I am not here to blame anybody. What I am trying to say here is that there are certain issues that need to be resolved, whoever resolves them. The state government today is in the best position to resolve those issues. I think there is lot of work that has to be done here. There is lot of work that the state government has to do here and there is lot of work that the central government can help with. So I am not here to say, xyz is to blame for this situation. That’s for other people to do. I am here to try and see what the central government can do to help Orissa and urge the state government to do it’s bit as well.”
“The central government can provide funds, central government can provide programs. The Orissa government has to deliver those funds and has to deliver those programs. According to the constitution the central government does not have jurisdiction in certain areas which the state government has. “
In the end, on being asked if the failure of delivery system bothered him, considering that his father Rajiv Gandhi too had faced a similar problem Rahul Gandhi said that if it did he wouldn’t be here.
NEW DELHI: Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Saturday described the Rs.60,000-crore farm loan waiver scheme as a woman-friendly measure, as women were the first victims of any crisis.
Citing the example of suicides by farmers, she said they brought immense suffering to the farmers' families. "The government is sensitive to this and we hope the waiver would bring peace and happiness to the four crore families that are expected to be benefit."
Speaking after presenting the Stree Shakti Awards to mark the International Women's Day, the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson said the government's women-specific policies, including relief in income tax, encouragement of self-help groups and microfinance had started showing positive results.
Calling for an end to female foeticide at all costs, Ms. Gandhi said women should understand that daughters and sons were equal in every respect and should be given equal opportunities.
Pointing out that the International Women's Day was being celebrated as Women Empowerment Day in the country, she said the journey for women was full of challenges and hopes and required patience and determination"I dream of an India where no girl is killed before she is born, no woman is killed for dowry and where no child is illiterate," she said.
Minister of State for Women and Child Development Renuka Chowdhury said India for the first time had a gender-sensitive government. www.pressbrief.in
Camp: Village Tanmna ( Gajam District , Orissa) Date: 10th March 2008
Amethi MP Rahul Gandhi seems to believe that a leader must feel the pain of his people in order to lead them to change. A second time during his 4 day visit to Orissa, Rahul Gandhi spend a night in the village, this time it was village Tanmna of Orissa’s Ganjam district.
Tanmna is the largest village in the area with eighty two houses. Eighty out of the eighty two house holds are below poverty line. But the village is a rare example of how self help is the best form of help. Having taken loan from a private bank the houses are well constructed, over an average area of 400 to 500 square feet and have good sanitation system. The socially conscious villagers have also waged a war against liquor in the area.
Rahul Gandhi arrived at Tanmna village at ten thirty last night and had dinner with the tribal’s. He spent the night here. He spoke to them as to how they had brought about development in this model village.
Rahul Gandhi discovers some gems among tribal children
On the third day of his four day tour to Orissa, Amethi MP Rahul Gandhi visited a residential school run for tribal children, in Kankiya village of Ganjam district. All of the 417 children who live here are first generation literates. This co educational school is from the 3rd to 10th standard. Rahul Gandhi spent four hours interacting with the children of the school.
Rahul Gandhi was pleased to discover that many of the children here are extremely talented. One girl is a beautiful singer, while the other has potential of being a world class weight lifting champion. Rajiv Gandhi foundation has funded a library for the children of this residential school.
The thought behind it is to fill the gap of lack of education in this part of the country. Like all children their age, these boys and girls too had dreams of becoming doctors and engineers. Some even wanted to grow up and become politician
Starting his 4 day tour of Orissa, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi visited Nangalpur village of Nayapara district. Mr. Gandhi visited the Watershed Development project which is under construction and is expected to help in reclamation of land, growth in agriculture and livelihood pattern. Media persons were not allowed to enter the project area as Rahul Gandhi interacted with the tribal people and gathered information about the progress of the project.Mr.Gandhi visited a Jan Sampark Fair organized by some NGO’s working in this area. 10 stalls displayed fruits and vegetables of high quality, poultry, handicrafts etc. Congress MP took deep interest in the exhibits. All tribal people & Ngo’s present met with the MP and shared their problems with him.The villagers and their families, excited and pleased with Rahul Gandhi’s visit shouted slogans welcoming him. Nayapara is one of the most backward districts of the country and many tribal people thought that Mahatma Gandhi or Rajeev Gandhi was visiting their village. On meeting Rahul Gandhi, they shared their problems and the MP assured them that he would carry their grievances to Delhi and ensure that they are addressed. A group of women from Pahria tribe met Rahul Gandhi. Pahria tribal people are enlisted in the OBC category in Orissa, whereas in Chattisgarh they have the scheduled tribe status. The women handed over a letter to Rahul Gandhi requesting him that they too should be given the scheduled tribes status. Speaking to the media people Rahul Gandhi said “ the area is indeed under developed and was in dire need of development “.
Camp: Bhawanipatana ( Kalahandi ) Date: 7th March 2008
“ All members of my family, my grandmother Indira Gandhi, my father Rajiv Gandhi have shared a deep relationship with the people of Kalahandi. I will carry this legacy forward. A few people had mentioned that since this is a very far flung area, I had great difficulty getting here. I’d like to say that I had no difficulty at all. I am very happy to be here. I am very happy to meet you. I have spoken to you, my tribal brothers and sisters. I have understood your problems. India is moving ahead at a very fast pace today. In a way, we are moving towards the formation of two India’s. One India which is moving forward…where there is education, employment and health. And another India which is moving backwards! When UPA government came to power in 2004, we promised that this government was the common man’s government. I am happy that for the past four years the UPA government has delivered on it’s promises…promise of education, health and employment. People who need employment will have to be given minimum employment for 100 days. But this program which is supposed to be followed in the rest of the country is not being implemented properly in Orissa. You have to step forward. You have to demand from the state government your rights, the right to employment. In 2008, a very important bill was passed by the parliament, an important bill for our brothers and sisters, the tribal bill. Through this bill you will have security of your land. This morning I was at a village. I asked them, how many people live here. I was told that 8000 people lived in the village. I then asked them, how many of the villagers were graduates, people who have gone to universities. I was told that 20 people were graduates here but all of them were living in cities doing jobs. If you want to move head, specially the youth, you have to educate yourself. You need colleges and schools. I began by saying that me and my family have a strong relationship with the people of Kalahandi. I would like to tell you that your battle is my battle. You have a brother called Rahul Gandhi, who hear’s your voice loud and clear. To conclude I’d like to ask the youth of Kalahandi to come forward and help in development and change of this region “ www.pressbrief.in
“ 17 years ago…it was not just Rajiv ji who was killed, but a voice representing the youth of India was extinguished. What ever Rajiv ji did, for the youth of India, be they backward or poor and engineer or whoever they were, Rajiv ji’s work contributed in taking today’s youth forward. To tell you the truth, when I was sitting at the stage I recalled that day, 17 years ago when I spoke to my father and he told me that he was going to Orissa and Tamil Nadu. A short while ago, sitting on the stage I was feeling sad. But then I thought…it’s strange…you were the last people he met. The last people he spent time with. That mean’s that your thought process and your convictions were important to him. The way he worked for you…took your voice forward…today’s Indian youth and his talents are known internationally. India’s youth is wise and talented. But Rajiv ji was just taking your voice forward, he was just an instrument, you are the power! I have been traveling here, speaking to people. I used to think that Uttar Pradesh is backward. There is lack of education there, lack of power supply. But what I saw here in Orissa, I’ve never, in my entire life, seen before.” www.pressbrief.in
Camp: Bamra ( dist. Sambalpur ) Date: 8th March 2008
“ I mostly work in Uttar Pradesh…in Amethi. I always thought Uttar Pradesh was most backward. The state has no electricity supply and we fight for our rights there.. But what I’ve seen during my two days here brings me to the conclusion that the situation there is not as bad. The level of poverty and backwardness here is not seen in Uttar Pradesh. Bundelkhand is currently facing drought, so the situation there is bad, but it is not so elsewhere in the state. I travel at night in Amethi, trying to see if there is any village that doesn’t have electricity. On the other hand, here, I look out for a village that has electricity” www.pressbrief.in
On a 4 day visit to Orissa, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi spent a night in a tribal village of Koraput district, sharing food with the tribal’s and discussing their problems. Mr. Gandhi, who is on a four-day visit of the state, digressed from the schedule to visit Kondhpungar village in this district on Saturday and spent the night there. The local police, which has asked the young leader, to stick to his itinerary due to security reasons, was caught unawares by the unplanned visit. Rahul Gandhi was supposed to take rest at Damanjori Guest House here. The local residents complained to Mr. Gandhi about the indifferent attitude of and lack of cooperation from the local authorities. Rahul Gandhi was of the view that although development was important, it cannot be at the cost of nature and the tribal identity. Hailing the tribal’s as preservers of natural wealth and knoweldge, the Congress leader urged them to take up the role of leadership in the society. Mr. Gandhi on Saturday visited a remote village called Ejurpa in the Niyamgiri forest area and promised support to the local tribal’s for their agitation against the proposed bauxite mining from the hills.
ON the second day of his trip to Orissa, Amethi MP Rahul Gandhi visited Gunupur in Rayagada district where his father Rajiv Gandhi addressed his last public meeting, accompanied by the then Orissa Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president Giridhar Gamang and addressed an election rally. Rajiv Gandhi had then stopped over at Visakhapatnam on his way to Sriperumbudur, where he was assassinated by an LTTE suicide bomber. Addressing the gathering, Rahul said: "You are lucky to have seen my father speak at his last public meeting.Even I could not get that opportunity." Emotions ran high at the meeting as Gamang recalled Rajiv's last public address."It was tough to control my emotions as I was present when Rajivji spoke here on May 21, 1991. After seventeen years, I'm accompanying his son Rahul Gandhi.Rahul Gandhi also visited Panposh Sports Hostel at Rourkela, which has produced 34 outstanding hockey players who have represented India such as Dilip Tirkey, Ignace Tirkey, Prabodh Tirkey, Subhadra Pradhan, Binita Toppo etc. At present, five national players in women's hockey team and four in the men's team live in the Sports Hostel. The AICC leader lunched with the hockey players.The players requested Rahul to give them public sectors jobs in and around Rourkela so that they can concentrate on sport, without worrying about money. While Rahul's speeches on Friday emphasised how the Gandhi’s had always worked for the tribal’s of Orissa, he stressed on the neglect of youth power and the Congress blueprint to harness it on Saturday. www.pressbrief.in
On day three of his four day tour of Orissa, AICC General Secretary Rahul Gandhi started his day in Anugul town. At 9:30 this morning Rahul Gandhi inaugurated a park named after late Prime Minister and his father Rajeev Gandhi. Rahul Gandhi unveiled a statue of Rajiv Gandhi which has been waiting to be unveiled for the past 7 years. He also planted a sapling at the park in memory of his vist. Rahul Gandhi will also visit Anugul’s Nalco Swelter Plant. Nalco was dedicated to the nation by late Rajiv Gandhi. The Congress party, particularly Mrs. Sonia Gandhi had vehemently opposed and argued in parliament against Nalco’s disinvestment during the NDA regime. Nalco workers and trade union leaders are looking forward to Rahul Gandhi’s visit to the plant so that they can share their views with the young MP.
The site, pressbrief.in, is a veritable treasure house of videos, audios and rare photographs featuring the Gandhis. You can surf the site all the way back to Jawaharlal Nehrus the light has gone out of our lives speech. You can rewind to the rivetting 1999 Lok Sabha campaign in Rae Bareli, when Priyanka Vadra ferociously attacked Arun Nehru, calling him a backstabber. And you can watch all of Priyanka and Rahuls current campaign footage.
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