Congress leader and former party president Rahul Gandhi on Friday said that his party too has made mistakes and that it will have to change its politics in future.
"The Congress party will also have to change its politics in the coming times. This will have to be done. I also want to say that the Congress party has also made mistakes and I am saying this while being from the Congress party," he said.
However, he did not elaborate on what “change” he felt the Congress needed. He made the remarks at an event named “Samvidhan Sammelan” organised by the Samruddha Bharat Foundation in Lucknow.
During the event, he accused PM Narendra Modi of being a monarch and not a prime minister. He also called him a front for “two three financiers”. Gandhi scion claimed that the ruling BJP will be restricted to less than 180 seats in the Lok Sabha elections.
"I can give you in writing, if you want, that Narendra Modi is not going to be the PM again," he said, reiterating his prediction that he made at joint rallies in UP earlier in the day with Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav.
"Some people in politics only think of how to get power. I was born into it and have no interest in it. But for me it's just a tool to help public," he said.
Rahul Gandhi repeated his call for a caste-based census
He highlighted that 90 per cent of the population in India comprises people from the SC/ST, OBC, Dalits, tribals, minorities and the poor from the general community who are not given equal participation. Rahul Gandhi subsequently repeated his call for a caste-based census.
"If the nation is to be strengthened, it cannot be done without including the 90 per cent. If you say that the 90 per cent will not come into bureaucracy, sports, media, judiciary and even beauty pageants, then what superpower will you make? Do you want to make 10 per cent of the population a superpower," he said.
Gandhi accused PM of attacking Constitution
He also accused PM Modi of attacking the Constitution. “He is not the prime minister, he is a king. He has nothing to do with the Cabinet, Parliament or the Constitution. He is the king of the 21st century and is the front for two or three financiers who have the real power."
At the end of his address, Gandhi took three questions from the members of the audience, including one on a recent suggestion that he and the PM should take part in a debate. To this he said, “I am 100 per cent ready to debate with anyone, with the prime minister. But I know the prime minister will not debate with me”.
Rahul Gandhi answers question on OPS and privatisation
Speaking on the question of OPS not being included in the party manifesto, Gandhi said the matter is “open to consideration”. Meanwhile, he was also asked if the institutions privatised by the Modi government will be nationalised again, Gandhi said, “It will be difficult but we will not allow the blatant privatisation of big institutions.”
(With PTI Inputs)
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