Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday addressed the Rae Bareli Lok Sabha constituency ahead of the fifth phase of voting, invoking the history of familial ties to the constituency.
During his address he recalled the era of first Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru, his grandmother Indira Gandhi and her mother Sonia Gandhi. He said, "There was a farmers' movement. People of Raebareli taught politics to Jawaharlal Nehru. He became PM and laid the foundation of the country. In a way, Raebareli laid the political foundation of Hindustan. Then came Indira Gandhi, green revolution, bank nationalisation happened. Raebareli also had a contribution. Then Sonia Gandhi came and now I am here. Political relation is different to personal relation. I launched Mohabbat ki Dukaan. You reciprocated. I will fight with you. You welcomed me, I thank you."
Speaking about the reason behind contesting rae Bareli, Gandhi scion said that Rae Bareli is the karmbhoomi of my two mothers. He said, ”The main reason that I am contesting from Rae Bareli is due to my 2 mothers. Sonia Gandhi gave me birth and Indira Gandhi protected me and taught me. Rae Bareli is the Karambhoomi of both my mothers.”
Rahul Gandhi targets PM Modi
He also highlighted the disparities between the poor and rich by saying that there are 22 people who own the money as that of 70 crore people. Meanwhile, Rahul targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said that he earns a salary of Rs. 2.5 lakh but wears suits worth lakh rupees everyday. He asked who was buying suits for him.
Additionally Rahul Gandhi attacked PM Modi on the Agniveer scheme, saying that PM Modi has made two types of Jawans. He said, “One is the son of a poor, Dalit, minority and the other is from a rich family. He has given a new name to the son of the poor, Agniveer, who won't be getting any facilities like pension, canteen...but, if you are a senior officer or one amongst the four, you'll get all those things. In the military, they have created 'two-India', two types of 'shaheed'."
"PM Narendra Modi and his office have imposed the Agniveer scheme on the country. He wants the money that goes as pension and in the canteen facilities of Jawan to go to Adani in the form of defence contracts...", Rahul added. Talking about his experience of the Bharat Jodo Yatra, Rahul told people that he had asked the farmers and youth about the issues in the country, to which they had replied inadequate price of crop and unemployment respectively.
'Will get married soon'
Emphasising on the provisions of his manifesto, Gandhi promised that they will make crores of Lakhpatis. He said that they would make a list of poor families and one woman from each family would get 1 lakh rupees. Assured of his win in the Lok Sabha elections, Rahul professed that on July 1, crores of people will get money. “It will continue every month," said the Congress candidate from Raebareli.
He also thanked her sister and Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi for managing his campaign in the Rae Bareli Lok Sabha seat. In a light hearted moment, the crowd questioned when will he marry? Chuckling, Rahul Gandhi replied that he will have to get married soon.
(With PTI Inputs)
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