India a country of Hindus, not Hindutvavadis: Rahul
JAIPUR: India is a country of Hindus and not Hindutvavadis, who can do anything to remain in power, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said on Sunday.
“This is a country of Hindus and not Hindutvavadis. Since 2014, it’s the Hindutvavadis who are in power, and not Hindus. We need to oust them and bring the rule of Hindus,” Gandhi said at a rally to protest persistent inflation in Jaipur’s Vidhyadhar Nagar Stadium.
If there is inflation in the country and there is suffering, then this has been done by the Hindutvavadis, Gandhi said.
“The country never has been in such a situation,” he said. “The entire economy is in hands of 4-5 capitalists. This country is not being run by the public but by a few capitalists.”
Gandhi said in the country’s politics today, there is a competition between two words — Hindu and Hindutva. They are two completely different words, he said. “I am a Hindu but not a Hindutvavadi. Mahatma Gandhi was Hindu, and Godse was Hindutvavadi,” he said.
A Hindutvavadi spends his entire life for power and he has nothing to do with truth, the Congress leader said. A Hindu is one who is not afraid of anyone, embraces everyone and respects all religions, he said. He faces his fears and does not step back, and swallows fear like Lord Shiva, Gandhi said. Whereas Hindutvavadis bow in front of fear, which creates hatred in their hearts, he added.
On the other hand, love develops in the heart of Hindus as they face fear, Gandhi said. “You can read any (Hindu) scripture, be it Ramayana, Maharabharata, Gita or Upanishads. Tell me where is it written that the poor should be beaten up, where is it written that a marginalised person should be oppressed,” he asked rhetorically.
The Lok Sabha member from Wayanad said 1% of the country’s population holds 33% of its wealth, 10% population has 65% wealth, and 50% population has 6% wealth.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi has left only 6% money in the hands of 50% population,” Gandhi alleged. “Before Modi came to power, the unorganised sector in India was 52%, which after demonetisation, GST and corona has reduced to 20%.”
The Congress government in the past waived farmers’ loans because they are the backbone of the country, but Modi stabbed the heart of farmers, he said. “Modi stabbed them in their heart, but he did not stab from the front, but from the back, because he is Hindutvavadi,” Gandhi said. “When Hindu farmers stood up, Hindutvavadi said, ‘I apologise’.”
Speaking earlier at the rally, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, too, attacked the Modi government, saying that it wants to sell whatever Congress has built in the past 70 years.
“There are two types of government. One’s aim is to serve, commitment and truth towards the public, and other’s is lies, greed and loot...this is how the current government functions,” she said.
Bharatiya Janata Party leaders talk of China or other countries, casteism and communalism at the time of elections, but not about the struggles of the people, she said, questioning the achievements of the Modi government in the seven years of its rule.
Sonia Gandhi was present at the rally but did not speak.
Rahul Gandhi never talks about the development of Modi and makes baseless statements, said Arun Singh, BJP’S national general secretary. “Once again he delivered a mugged up speech in an immature manner,” Singh said. “His speech showed a combination of weak mathematics, directionless philosophy and baseless allegations.”
RAHUL SAID IF THERE’S INFLATION IN THE COUNTRY AND SUFFERING, THEN THIS IT IS DONE BY HINDUTVAVADIS.