Sharpening his attack on BJP and RSS on the issue of Sharpening his attack on BJP and RSS on the issue of communalism, the Congress Vice President referred to Indira Gandhi’s life to illustrate how she fought the “fanatic” forces and asked Congressmen to work in the same spirit.
“On one hand there are people from RSS, who pit one against the other, cause riots and on the other hand is Congress which connects people,” he said.
At a time when Congress is locked in a legacy battle with NDA, the party Vice President highlighted the “pro-poor image” of Indira Gandhi at the programme called ‘Maa Tujhe Salaam’.
“Indira was a mother because she believed in what we believe. That is protecting the poor people who struggle everyday,” he said.
Suggesting that fanatics are fringe elements and not the mainstream, he said, “People who kill are not many but few, who give the entire community a bad name. That is RSS. They are giving a bad name to all of us. Our job is to bring together people who believe in each other.”
Seeking to enthuse workers, the Congress Vice President sought to dispel the notion that Congress has weakened after is worst performance in last general elections and reminded them it is the same Congress with 44 MPs in Lok Sabha that stopped the dilution of UPA’s land bill.
“People from BJP and RSS say that Congress has only 40 to 45 MPs. Tell me if we have only 40 to 45 MPs, how did we stop the (NDA’s) land bill. The big thing is what is our ideology and how do we fight. We fight for the poor, the oppressed. These very ideas of Congress are not weak.”
“BJP felt that there will be a sweep in Bihar and BJP will win. The Prime Minister went there, BJP chief Amit Shah went there. The sweep happened but not for them. It was our sweep. I am telling you even in the coming elections in the states, we are going to sweep,” Gandhi said.
Amid a renewed buzz in the Congress about his elevation as party President and speculation about elders being shunted out, Gandhi reached out to veterans within the organisation saying his job is to bring together youth and experience.
Calling Youth Congress and NSUI the future of Congress, Gandhi hailed a number of senior leaders like A K Antony, Motilal Vora, Ashok Gehlot and Ghulam Nabi Azad, crediting some of them for the victory of Congress in Bihar Assembly polls.
“There is a lot of talk about change in Congress, Azad, Vora represent experience in Congress. You represent youth and energy. My job is to bring youth and experience together. “Youth Congress works on the ground but knowledge is with Gehlot ji. The knowledge and experience are with them and the energy is with you. My job is to connect this energy with experience,” he said.