Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi has alleged that Bharatiya Janata Party leaders talk about Hindutva but do not read the Gita.
“If they read the book, they will see that the Gita says — respect everyone, work with love and from the heart and do not work with arrogance. This is also written in the Koran, Guru Granth Sahib and all other holy books,” said Mr. Gandhi while addressing a party rally here on Tuesday.
“The BJP leaders call for wiping out the Congress. There is no need to wipe out anyone. Everybody can be heard. There is space for everyone — Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Sikhs. If anyone is wiped out here, it will be those who have anger in their hearts, arrogance in their hearts,” he added.
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Referring to Monday’s self-immolation by a Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti activist in front of the State Secretariat here, Mr. Gandhi said he had told Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi to extend all possible help to the family. He also asked partymen not to raise aggressive slogans as the Congress was a peaceful party.
Mr. Gogoi described Mr. Gandhi as “our chief of army” and himself as “a major general” of the Congress party and added that Mr. Gandhi was not trying to make the “major generals” powerful but was working to empower the people.
“The difference between Rahul Gandhi and [the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate] Narendra Modi is that Mr. Gandhi is not seeking power but wants to empower the people but Mr. Modi is seeking power,” he alleged.
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Mr. Gandhi who arrived here in the morning on a two-day visit of the State flew first to Diphu, headquarter town of Karbi Anglong hill district, and interacted with the leaders of the autonomous councils.
He told them that the Congress was for decentralisation of power.