Rahul leads anti-government rally few kilometres away from PM's mega bash

Rahul Gandhi on Saturday launched a stinging attack on the National Democratic Alliance government over the mega event marking its two years in office, saying farmers are committing suicide for want of water in Maharashtra, but the Modi dispensation is busy celebrating “with songs and dance with Bollywood stars”.

Addressing party workers during Congress’s ‘mashal julus’ (torch rally) to protest alleged power and water shortage in Delhi, Gandhi also targeted Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal saying the latter speaks only on issues like odd-even and pollution, “but doesn’t work”. He also suggested the Aam Aadmi Party leader is insensitive to “pain of poor”.

“Two years have passed... there is drought across the country. In Vidarbha and Marathwada in Maharashtra, farmers are committing suicide, killing themselves.

“And here, at India Gate, two years are being celebrated, function has been organised, people from Bollywood have come, songs and dance have been arranged for,” Gandhi told the gathering amid sloganeering against both Modi and Kejriwal.

Seeking to differentiate himself from Modi and Kejriwal, Gandhi said he believes in “politics of truth” in line with Mahatma Gandhi’s ideology and not in “making false promises”.

Hitting out at two leaders, he also claimed the duo think they can fool all people all the time in India.

“Even if people of India tell me speak lies in politics, I can’t do it. It’s not in me. I may have suffered for speaking what I feel, I don’t make false promises. But I can see, slowly, people of India and Delhi are realising that this country cannot move forward on false promises, not by hollowness, but blood and sweat,” he added.

He also exuded confidence that the Congress party, which he described as an organisation of “blood and sweat and not public relations”, will return to power in forthcoming local body polls and also during next assembly elections.

Targeting Modi and Kejriwal further, Gandhi said “One hands over broom to people and says they will get clean India”, while the other “connects electricity wires” and assures uninterrupted power supply.

He made the remarks referring to NDA government’s Swachch Bharat Abhiyan and AAP’s campaign against electricity problems in Delhi during Congress-rule in Delhi.

People including farmers, labourers and sanitation workers in the national capital and also in rest of India are now being exposed to truth, Gandhi said as he picked up holes in performances of respective governments led by the two leaders.

Slamming Kejriwal over the protest launched by sanitation workers over delay in payment of their salaries some months ago, Gandhi accused him of being “insensitive” to their pain.

“When they (sanitation workers) approached the chief minister and kept their demands before him, he told them that he will give one month’s salary, but nothing after that. The person who can talk like this, he cannot understand problems of sanitation workers, he cannot understand their pain,” he said.

Accusing the BJP and AAP of engaging in “politics of television and selfie”, the Congress leader said it is the poor people who suffer due to the same.

“I say this everyday, if this country has to move forward, the poor has to be empowered, they must be heard and false promises are not to be made and have to work with truth,” he added.

Lauding Congress and its workers, Gandhi said the organisation and its members are not a “big budget publicity party, but one nurtured by blood and sweat” as he took a dig at BJP and AAP over their alleged “huge budget” public relation activities.

“It’s not a big budget publicity party (Congress). Over Rs 526 crore publicity budget here (of AAP government) and perhaps thousands of crore rupee budget in Modiji’s hands, ours is not a PR agency party, but that of blood and sweat,” he said.

Apparently referring to Congress’ impressive performance during recently held Municipal Corporation of Delhi bypolls, Gandhi exuded confidence the success will be repeated during upcoming local body elections and also when the next assembly polls will be held as “his party knows how to work for people”.

“There will be Congress party’s rule again here as it knows how to work, doesn’t make false promises, is aware of how to deal with electricity and water issues, knows how to help poor. Don’t worry, you only will shine in future,” he told party functionaries.

Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken and other leaders of the party took part in the rally at Rajghat. 

Image: Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi addressing the 'mashal julus’ (torch rally) to protest alleged power and water shortage in Delhi. Photograph: @OfficeofRG/Twitter