Firdaus Khan
Amreli (Gujarat). Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi while campaigning in Gujarat for the upcoming assembly polls recalled Mahatma Gandhi, and said that it was Gandhi Ji who gave us democracy. He also slammed the Modi led BJP government in the state for making ‘false’ claims on development.

rahul Gandhi said, I used to think what Gujarat has given to me. Finally I got the answer and I want to convey that story with you. When I was a child my father told me a story. A story about Gandhi Ji related to the independent struggle.  Gandhiji came to our house in Allahabad where Jawahar Lal Nehru and Moti Lal Nehru were staying. Jawaharlal Nehru got involved in the freedom struggle.  Motilal Nehru felt that Gandhiji had taken away his son.  He was concerned for the fact that Nehru ji rarely comes home as he was fully involved in the freedom struggle. One day Jawahar Lal ji was arrested and sent to jail.  There was some tension between Gandhiji and Motilalji. Motilalji was not able to sleep and he was roaming around in Anand Bhawan, restlessly. One night he went to Ganhi Ji’s room but could not see Gandhiji on his bed. It was the winter season. He switched on the light and surprised to see Gandhi Ji sleeping on the floor in a corner of the room.  Gandhi Ji also woke up. Moti Lal Ji asked him why he was not sleeping on the bed?  Gandhiji said Jawahar Lal is in jail and is sleeping on the floor, so I too will sleep on the floor. Motilal Ji thought for a while. Jawahar Lal is my son and he is in jail now. I am sleeping on bed but Gandhi Ji sleeps on the floor. This is Gujarat's history... your history.  This is the history of Congress too. Congress got its ideology from Gujarat.

Today I am addressing you because of Gandhi Ji. India is the biggest democracy in the world. Who brought in democracy here? It was Gandhi Ji who gave this country democracy. Democracy is the gift of Gandhi Ji. He followed clear principles. He always listened to the voices of the people, especially aam aadmi. When Gandhi Ji slept on the floor, after Jawahar Lal Nehru was jailed, he was in fact fighting for the rights of the people of our country. A leader should listen to the voice of the people, especially the poor. He should treat everyone equally and respect the people without any bias. A leader should go to the people, realize their pain and should fight for them.  That is what I learnt in the past eight years - to set aside your own ideas and listen to people’s voice.  I learnt that we should go to the poor and should respect their views without any bias.  

Congress follows the same principle. Just examine the policies of the UPA government at the centre as well as the previous Congress governments. We brought in policies like bank nationalisation, green revolution and policies for the farmers because we hear the voice of the people. Everyone has a mobile phone here. Rajiv Gandhiji brought about the development in telecommunications but the concept was of Gandhi Ji that we should listen to the voice of the people. Remember, Sam Pitroda also played a crucial role in telecom revolution and he is a Gujarati.

When the President of Brazil had visited New Delhi I could get an opportunity to meet him. I asked him who is the role model for him in politics and he immediately replied, Gandhi. Ask Nelson Mandela; he will admit that he drew strength from Gandhiji. Gandhi Ji’s ideology is yours ideology. The unfortunate fact is that your voice is not heard in Gujarat. It is being suppressed. Only one leader’s voice is heard in Gujarat.  We talk about democracy. In Gujarat the assembly functions for only 25 days a year.
We brought the RTI Act. A number of corruption cases came out. Why there is no Lokayukta? When you will have Lokayukta here? You will get it only if Modi goes. 14,000 RTI applications are pending in the state? Corruption is hidden behind closed doors and we should bring it out. Whenever we try to introduce pro-poor policies like MNREGA, FDI or Lokpal Bill, BJP opposes it. FDI is beneficial for the farmers. The farmers sell potato at Rs. 3 per kilo but a potato chips packet, which contains only 10 gm of potato, costs Rs. 10. Who is the loser? The farmers. FDI is to help farmers to get proper prices for their crops. It is to provide facilities like cold storages for the farmers.  Even BJP had promised FDI in its election manifesto. But when Congress brought it it just opposed it. Their leaders like Sushma Swaraj made lenghthy speeches against it. When we talked about Land Acquisition Bill,  BJP opposed it also.

The state agriculture minister belongs to this place? Are you getting the facility of crop insurance? No. Gujarat is shining! But the people of Amreli are not able to avail crop insurance! There is acute scarcity for water. The poor are not able to get ration cards. You get nothing except marketing! I also know that marketing is good and here there is smart marketing. The people of Gujarat gave me a guru. I do not have father. I am a young politician. Whenever I face any difficulty, I read the books on Gandhi Ji and I get relief. You only gave me Gandhi Ji and I am grateful to you for that.