Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday hit out at the Bharatiya Janata Party for its “anti-poor and elitist” agenda, spelt out by its newly anointed prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi. The Congress would stand for the poor, who, he said, were serving the nation with their blood and tears.
Addressing a huge rally in Baran during his second visit to Rajasthan in a week, Mr. Gandhi said: “The Congress wants to build [a robust] infrastructure and wants the poor to dream big. The Opposition, on the other hand, is interested in building roads, railway lines and power projects, but wants only the rich to use it.”
The Gandhi family scion, speaking at a public meeting for the first time after the BJP declared Mr. Modi its prime ministerial candidate, called upon the underprivileged sections of society to “dream big” for the country’s progress.
“The nation cannot move ahead if we do not allow you to see dreams and avail yourselves of opportunities to realise them.
“The Opposition’s thinking is that the labourers should [only] work the land, or [just] construct roads. We say that even if you are a small labourer, you should see an aircraft in the sky and say that one day your son would fly in it.”
Mr. Gandhi laid the foundation stone for a super critical thermal power plant at Chhabra and launched an irrigation-cum-drinking water project on the Parwan river before addressing the rally.
He claimed the Food Security Bill would shower huge benefits and reiterated the new Congress slogan — “Poori roti khayengey, Congress ko jitayengey [We will have full meals and ensure victory for the Congress].”
Mr. Gandhi charged the Opposition with resisting pro-poor measures. “When it comes to schemes for the poor, they ask where the money would come from. But they don’t raise questions when mines are allotted and land is acquired,” he said, referring to the recent passage of the Land Acquisition Bill.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Pradesh Congress Committee president Chandrabhan, AICC general secretary C.P. Joshi and Union Ministers Namonarain Meena and Sachin Pilot were among those who attended the rally.
