Firdaus Khan
Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi encouraged Congress supporters on Sunday, at a big rally at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan, defending the UPA government and exhorting the youth to join politics. He also used the opportunity to launch a blistering attack on the opposition for halting the welfare policies of the central government.

Rahul Gandhi vowed to fight to modernise the country through reforms that he said would help the poor and provide jobs for the poor. "We need economic reforms because only when businesses operate well will there be progress, and then we can run programmes to benefit the poor," he said.

"The world is saying that India is standing up," he said at the rally adding "The youth here will show not just India but also the whole world the way forward."

He also slammed the opposition for halting the central policies which are beneficial for the poor.  “Our country is fast growing and the entire globe appreciates that. But here the opposition just opposes all our development oriented policies. They are not bothered about the losses of the farmers, workers or the youth. We also were in opposition. When the Kargil war broke out, we stood by the government and extended our whole hearted support to the Vajpeyee Government. We never opposed any move by the government which is helpful for the country and the people. Because, the country is supreme for us” he said.

Reiterating the need to change and cleanse the political system Rahul Gandhi said “We have to open the door of the system for all. We will have to listen to the lakhs people are assembled here. They are the future and we should give them a chance to become the leaders of tomorrow.  If we want the country to surge ahead, we the Congress party, should open our doors for the youth and common people.  Only we can do it. The opposition can only create obstructions”.

While concluding his address Rahul Gandhi said “I am confident that our country will stand up and the entire world will appreciate us. The youth here will show not just India but also the whole world the way forward. The Congress will help them by giving space in our political journey”.



Full text of Rahul Gandhi’s address

When we formed the government at the centre we had promised that we will work for the poor, farmers and other weaker sections of the society.  For the past eight years we could do a lot in this direction.  We implemented the world’s biggest employment guarantee scheme Mahatma Gandhi NREGA.  Crores of poor were benefitted by this policy.

The opposition cries loud against corruption, but we have brought RTI - the most powerful tool to tackle corruption. Common man can get any information about the government using this policy. With an intention to help farmers we introduced the loan-waive off policy for them by which lots of farmers could get relief. Manmohan Singh government opened the doors for the poor farmers.

Whenever we brought in these welfare policies, the opposition always obstructed those, without a second thought. We will deliver more for the aam aaadmi. We will soon bring the Right to Food Bill in Parliament. We want to ensure everybody has access to food. We will provide sufficient food for those who live with half-stomach.

The incidents at Bhatta-Parsaul, where poor farmers lands were grabbed at a cheaper cost, forced Congress to think about the land acquisition bill. When the poor farmers were looted there, no body raised any voice, except the Congress. Now we are going to implement the land acquisition bill soon which will be very helpful for the poor people to get adequate prices for their lands.

We brought a strong Lokpal Bill. But after its passage in Lok Sabha, the opposition stalled it in the Rajya Sabha. In fact they were laughing after stopping the passage of the bill.   But we will bring the bill again and will get it passed.

Since we are in Delhi, I want to tell something about Delhi. We have changed the face of Delhi.  The people who had left Delhi earlier will not be able to recognize the place if they come back now. Lots of development took place here in terms of roads and other infrastructure and I thank Sheila Ji for the commendable achievements.

Manmohan Singh Ji will explain about the economic situations at present and the ways to tackle those. But I want to tell you something else which I have been longing to convey to you.  I have been closely observing the political system since the past eight years. I interacted with the poor people, farmers, workers and other sections of the people and this helped me to learn more about the system.  According to me, the biggest challenge before us is the political system.  The people who run the system are busy mud-slinging at one another. No one is raising the fundamental questions. The voice of the aam aadmi is not reaching political echelons. The biggest short coming in the present system is that the doors are closed for aam aadmi and other weaker section of the society. The poor in the country are not able to get proper education for their children and there no sufficient employment opportunities for the poor.

The doors of the political system are now closed for the aam aadmi.  The youth in our country have bigger dreams but their dreams are being shattered. Is anyone in the opposition raised voice for cleansing the system? Does anyone of them talk about changing the system? I could not hear anything in this regard from them.  The voice of the aam aadmi does not reach the political system here.  We have done a lot for the people. Till the common man - youth from underprivileged backgrounds - come into politics, change cannot happen. Nothing can be achieved by just opposing anything, but we should show the way. If anyone has done so, that is Manmohan singh Ji, Sonia ji and the Congress party.

I am talking about the future. I am talking about the Congress. We have to open the door of the system for all. We will have to listen to the lakhs people are assembled here. They are the future and we should give them a chance to become the leaders of tomorrow.  If we want the country to surge ahead, we the Congress party, should open our doors for the common people.  Only we can do it. The opposition can only create obstructions. We have proved it also. Who was instrumental for the green revolution? Who brought the computer revolution?  Who initiated the liberalization process? It was Congress which did all these and only Congress can change the political system.

It was Gandhi Ji who rejuvenated the Congress Party, hundred years back. When he came to India Congress was almost defunct. He opened the doors of the Congress Party to the people and Congress became the voice of the Indians.  And when the Congress became the voice of the entire India, English had to run back to England.  We will have to do exactly the same by opening our doors for the common man so that their voices could be heard. We will have to take the youth, farmers and all other people along with us in our political process and then only we can change the system and the country.

I know the Congress Party well. I am also aware that the youth in our party wants positive changes. Many of them are fed up with the system but I assure them that I am here to fight for them. We will, together, work hard to bring in positive changes in the system for a better developed country. We will help the youth to fulfill their dreams.

The opposition is indulged in negative politics. They just oppose to anything we do. It was BJP who initiated the FDI in retail policy, but it was a weak bill. But when we introduced a strong bill they just opposed it. They spread rumours that the small traders will be affected badly by the FDI.  But FDI will benefit farmers. They will be able to use the facilities like cold storages and food processing.  They will be able to stand on their own.

Our country is fast growing and the entire globe appreciates that. But here the opposition just opposes all our development oriented policies. They are not bothered about the losses of the farmers, workers or the youth. We also were in opposition. When the Kargil war broke out, we stood by the government and extended our whole hearted support to the Vajpeyee Government. We never opposed any move by the government which is helpful for the country and the people. Because, the country is supreme for us.

We, the Congress is here to bring in development. We are here to cleanse the system. We know that we have the support of the people and that is why you have come here in large numbers. Congress is committed for the farmers, weaker sections and the poor. We also understand that for development we need liberalization and economic reforms. Only when businesses operate well will there be progress, and then we can run programmes to benefit the poor.  I am confident that our country will stand up and the entire world will appreciate us. The youth here will show not just India but also the whole world the way forward. The Congress will help them by giving space in our political journey.