Rahul: Cong believes in politics of love

SHILLONG, MAR 18: Kick-starting its election campaign in Meghalaya, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi accused the opposition of dividing the people of India on communal lines even as he said that the Congress stands for the unity of country and believes in empowering the youths and women for transforming the society.

Campaigning for the Tura Congress Lok Sabha candidate  Daryl William Momin, Rahul Gandhi, who is tipped to take over the mantel of PM if the party is voted to power, told a public rally at Resubelpara on Tuesday that the Congress believes in “politics of love” to the opposition who propagates the “politics of anger.”

Attended by Meghalaya chief minister Mukul Sangma, former chief minister Salseng C Marak and host of other Congress dignitaries, Rahul said, “The opposition believes in centralisation of power and politics of anger. But the Congress believes in uniting people, giving power to people, to youth, to women to transform the society and in the politics of love.”

Rahul said, “We should create an India in which all of you feel that wherever we go, we will be welcomed with open arms. Such an ideology which attacks north Indians in Maharashtra, northeast people in Delhi… this is the ideology of the opposition,” he said, referring to the death of Arunachal Pradesh student Nido Tania in Delhi.

Daryl William Momin, grandson of Meghalaya first chief minister Capt WA Sangma, is pitted against former Lok Sabha speaker and National People’s Party (NPP) candidate Purno A. Sangma.

Rahul told the gathering that the Congress stands for every single Indian who shares equal space in the country. “People of Garo Hills and Meghalaya should feel at home anywhere in India,” he said.

Gandhi wondered why the opposition was not using the Right to Information Act. “Congress has given the Right to Information Act to the country . However, the opposition keeps on targeting us. If they have anything to point out, why are they not using RTI,” he thundered.

Gandhi also informed that the Congress took the initiative to introduce six anti-corruption bills, but the opposition did not allow the passage of the bills in parliament.

Speaking about empowering people and creating job opportunities, Gandhi said 14 crore people have been benefited by MGNREGA and the food security act. “We will continue to work for the interest of the people. We will transform lives of 70 crore people, who are from the middle class,” he promised.- By Our Reporter