Tanda (HP): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi today termed the Lok Sabha elections as a “battle of thoughts”, saying while the Congress stood for empowering the people, the opposition represented only the rich in the country.In a meeting with ex-servicemen, the Congress Vice President said he would make whole-hearted attempts to fulfil the demands of the veterans including representation for the armed forces in the central pay commission. Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi Thursday said issues related to defence personnel should be taken from the heart, referring to their demand of "one rank, one pension". "You came to me and I promised that I will try my best and we took the decision," Gandhi said while addressing ex-servicemen in Tanda town, some 275 km from state capital Shimla.He said the jawans give their lives for the nation. "We owe them more than just gratitude. I am on your side. I understand your concerns. You give your life for the country, I will do all that I can to see that your demands are met." “The election is a battle of thoughts in India. On one hand, there is Congress which feels that power should be in each and every hand and that is how the country can be powerful.“On the other side, the opposition thinks that the country can be run by only powerful and rich and they have no place for the poor in their ideas,” Gandhi said, without naming the BJP.Addressing the veterans, he said he agreed with the view that there is a divide between the armed forces and the bureaucracy, saying, “I could feel this divide during the One Rank One Pension issue.”He stressed that at times he would be able to meet the demands of ex-servicemen, but sometimes he would not be able to do so. Rahul Gandhi slammed the BJP's ideological parent, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), saying even Sardar Patel described "it as a poisonous outfit that can destroy the nation"."Sardar Patel-ji ne kaha tha ki RSS ek zehreela sangathan hai (Sardar Patel has said the RSS is poisonous outfit) and can destroy the nation," Gandhi said while addressing his first public rally in Dharamsala town, some 250 km from state capital Shimla.Clad in white long 'kurta' with jeans and donning a Himachali cap with green flap, he said, "the opposition in a similar fashion is trying to appropriate Sardar Patel's legacy".Gandhi said, "the BJP's tallest leaders in parliament had said India would be destroyed due to computers, but I won't name them".He also slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over claims of development, saying its leaders were taking false credit.Gandhi said the Congress party's ideology was the common man's ideology. "It's a fight of ideology in the country. Our ideology is to take all with us."“I cannot make big promises but my intentions are very clean. I promise you that whatever demands you have, I would always make a whole-hearted effort to meet your demands,” Gandhi said.Of the four parliamentary seats in Himachal Pradesh, the BJP won Shimla (reserved), Kangra and Hamirpur, while the Congress bagged Mandi during the 2009 elections.The hill state goes to the polls May 7.
