We have to wage a war against poverty: Rahul Gandhi

Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi while addressing an election rally in Ballabgarh said that this assembly is being fought between two different ideologies. He said that one ideology belongs to Congress, which speaks of common man and other talks about India Shining and some chosen people. “In recent Loksabha election, you elected Manmohan Singhji as your Prime Minister, at that time too, both these ideologies were in front of each other.” He further said, “We say if this country makes progress, each and every person will move forward whether he is a poor, Dalit, farmer, labourer or a Tribal. But our opposition talks about an exclusive development benefiting some selected people.”

Congress General Secretary said that in the election of 2004, there were two slogans during the election campaign. “One was India Shining which meant India was progressing fast. First of all, the slogan was in English. When someone asked a senior opposition leader about this slogan as to where did they find it; they said they got it while watching a television advertisement. They did not come to you; they did not go to the farmers, labourers, nor they asked them whether their part of India was shining or not. They just put it on television and sought your support,” he said. He further said, “In that election we gave you the slogan of aam aadmi. We talked about the poor, Dalits, farmers and an inclusive government. And you told them that you need a government which cares for all; and not the one which talks about the rich and big people”

Speaking on the works done by UPA and state government of Haryana, he said, “ Manmohan Singhji and Hoodaji have done a lot of developmental projects for you. They have ensured an inclusive growth and pushed India ahead. The UPA government carried out the largest ever Employment Guarantee Scheme for the rural poor and managed money for the scheme. . However, during the debate in Parliament our opposition said that Congress is wasting the money.” He further said, “We felt that the previous NDA government had completely forgotten the farmers; so we carried out a loan waiver programme for them worth Rs 60,000 crores. Again, our opposition questioned that where was the money coming from? We did this, because we felt that farmers of this country fight daily for our country. Not only that, we ensured Mid-day meal for school going children as we felt that it is the poor which needs education the most”

Congress General Secretary said that he had contested two elections and in both those elections, the opposition did not have any issue for the people. “They talked on Pakistan, terrorism and Jinnah but they never spoke on poverty. You can understand their psyche.” He further said, “There is only one big issue in India and that issue is the prevailing poverty in our country. If we have to wage a war, it must be against poverty.”

Talking about his village visit with a British minister, he said, “.Once a minister from England came to meet me in Delhi. He asked me where does India's strength lie. I said, if you want to understand the strength of India, you have to step out of Delhi, you have to go to villages and talk to poor people, farmers and women. I took him to a village in UP where he spoke to villagers, ate with them and spent a night there. On his way back to Delhi, he told me that he understood why India is making so much progress. But the next day I read in newspapers, senior BJP leaders criticizing me asking why am i showcasing the poverty of India to a foreigner. Basically, our opposition leaders are ashamed of the conditions under which poor people live and they don’t want to even talk about it.”