Rahul promises Right to Health if Congress returns to power

Gannaur(Sonepat): Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi today promised his party would implement Right to Health if his party was returned to power in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.Addressing a gathering of farmers' representatives here, Rahul Gandhi said, UPA had brought Right to Work (MNREGA), Right to Information, Right to Food, and now it would bring Right to Health, if it returns to power at the Centre. The gathering was compered by Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh. The Congress vice-president said, free treatment and medicines will be given to people under the Right to Health.Rahul Gandhi also promised to bring 70 crore Indians living above the poverty line to middle class category. He said, major thrust will be given to manufacturing sector to generate crores of jobs, and the education system and training will be changed. "In the last 50 years, all the major achievements like the Green Revolution, White Revolution, banks nationalization, computerization were brought about by the Congress party. Our party understands India and works accordingly. We don't force our ideology on the people", he said. Rahul Gandhi hit out at the BJP saying senior BJP leaders like Atal Bihari Vajpayee and L K Advani used to oppose computerization when my father Rajiv Gandhi was prime minister. "These senior BJP leaders opposed computerisation saying that these would render lakhs of people unemployed. But when computerisation came, and there was information revolution, their minister Pramod Mahajan claimed that it was the BJP which made cellphones cheaper for the people", Rahul Gandhi said. "Similarly, it was Congress which ushered in the White Revolution, but the BJP in Gujarat in claimed it was their party which brought about this revolution.Rahul Gandhi said, he would like to see 50 per cent women in Parliament and all state assemblies in the next five years. "Women are the real power of India", said Rahul, and immediately one farmer in the audience asked when he would marry.Amidst guffaws, Rahul replied: "Woh ho jayega (that will happen)", and Jairam Ramesh, holding the mike as MC, described the farmer's suggestion as "today's most positive suggestion". Jairam Ramesh disclosed how because of Rahul Gandhi, nearly 10 lakh women were included in nearly one lakh self-help groups and linked with banks. Rahul Gandhi today also mentioned his agitations for farmers and tribals in Bhatta Parsaul and Tappal in UP, and in Nayamgiri in Odisha. "In Bhatta Parsaul, the farmers all of a sudden found their agricultural lands taken away. Some of the lands were used to construct Formula One racing track. "This sporting event takes place only once in a year, and that too it has now ended, but the farmers lost their livelihood. "I met a woman who was weeping. She said, the officials came one day and plainly told her she was no more the owner of her land. The woman said, she was not peturbed even then, but what the officials did was, they burnt down the entire standing crop on her field. This is not merely oppression, it is beating one with shoes, after oppressing a poor person", said Rahul Gandhi. "In Niayamgiri, Odisha," Rahul Gandhi said, "the tribals told him that the hill the used to worship as god was suddenly given away to Vedanta without the approval of the panchayat. We want the whole of India to progress. We don't want half the India to weep, and the remaining half to progress", he said. Rahul Gandhi explained how corruption can be eradicated by bringing about changes in the system. "There are nearly 750 members in Parliament, and nearly 4,500 members in state legislatures. These people are handpicked not by the aam aadmi, but by a cabal of 200 to 300 persons in various political parties. "Until and unless, 50,000 to nearly 10 lakh people decide who their representative will be, corruption will remain. Because the people know whether the person they are choosing is corrupt or not", said Rahul Gandhi. "In the coming years, BJP leaders will take credit for introducing MNREGA and even Food Security Act", Rahul Gandhi said."BJP and Congress", said Rahul Gandhi, "speak about corruption. But giving speeches alone will not do. We have to act.""In the next five years, I promise to bring about changes. The system has so far been telling the aam aadmi what to do, but now, the system will ask the people what to do."We want power to be given to the people, whether through RTI, MNREGA, Food Security Act or Panchayati Raj. They (BJP) believe in a single individual (indirectly referring to Modi)"We believe in the people, they believe in the power and knowledge of a single individual. BJP believes a single individual can run this country, whether it is agriculture, or industry, or aviation, or what not", said Rahul Gandhi. Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and his ministers were present among the farmers at the Q&A session with Rahul Gandhi.