There is only one big issue in India and that issue is prevailing poverty says Rahul Gandhi

There is only one big issue in India and that issue is prevailing poverty says Rahul Gandhi

10 oct 2009, Ballabgarh(Haryana)

Targetting lofty ideologies of opposition parties at an election rally in October 2009 in Haryana's Ballabgarh, Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi asserted that Congress talks of common man, while other political outfits remain confined to unrealistic India Shining and about some selected people.

"There is only one big issue in India and that issue is prevailing poverty in our country. If we have to wage a war, it must be against poverty," stressed Congress general secretary. The state goes to Assembly polls on Tuesday.

"While the opposition party is mainly concerned with development of a set of people only, we firmly believe if this country makes progress, each and every person will move forward whether he is a poor, Dalit, farmer, labourer or a tribal," asserted Congress general secretary.

Gandhi said in the General elections in 2004, there were two slogans during political campaigns. "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," Gandhi remarked.

"They (the opposition parties) did not come to you, they did not go to the farmers, labourers and 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.

Congress general secretary further told the gathering, "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 just talks about only 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 huge development works 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 sent money for them. However, during the debate in Parliament our opposition said that Congress is wasting the money."

The previous NDA government had completely forgotten the farmers and so, they (the UPA) carried out a loan waiver programme for them, worth Rs 60,000 crores, he informed.

"Again, our opposition questioned that where was the money coming from? We did this as 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 need education most," Gandhi told the gathering.

Congress General Secretary said that he had contested two elections and in both those occasions, 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 gauge their mentality by this example," he said.

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, Gandhi said. "But the next day I read in newspapers that senior BJP leaders criticised me asking why I am 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," remarked Congress general secretary.

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