Only young boys, girls can change India: RaGa Cong chief asserts that no tickets for those who join party with that purpose

Congress President Rahul Gandhi’s call to the youth to take over the party came in his concluding address to the 84th AICC plenary session here when he explained the significance of a podium with a single mike on the stage that surprised many as there were no usual mattresses and cushions to accommodate all senior leaders.

“In meetings of no political party, you will find such an empty stage. It has vacated for you as if India is to change, only boys and girls of every religion and caste can change,” he said, giving a call to the talented with a vision of India from India and abroad to come on the stage.

He said there will be space not only for the youth in the Congress but also for those from outside as it is his dream to build up the Congress that was 70-80 years ago when anyone of the leaders, be it Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Patel of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad run the country.

Rahul received not only an overwhelming greetings after his 55-minute address but he was also mobbed by the party workers for selfie so much so that ultimately the Special Protection Group (SPG) had to almost physically drag him and Sonia Gandhi from the crowd.

He said the Congress has workers who have energy and power to change the nation but unable to get opportunity because of a wall between them and the party leaders. His first task as the Congress president is to pull down this wall, but without hurting the senior leaders but with love and due respect to them. He talked also of pulling down the second wall that separates the youth from the political system.

He vowed to put an end to the complaint that the party gives ticket to the outsiders who join the party just for the ticket. “No more tickets to those falling (in party) from parachute and denial of the ticket who have toiled for the party for 10, 15 years. Rest assured you will get the ticket,” he told the youth and pointed out the small experiment carried out in the recent Gujarat Assembly elections. “You saw the result (of that experiment) that Modi was flying in sea plane. Your force will make him next time in the submarine.”

Turning to the media, Rahul also assured that “we will protect the press, not matter that they write bad and wrong against us as we will come to their rescue when the RSS cuts their hands.”

He said that unlike PM Modi never accepting mistakes, be the demonetisation or “the Gabbar Singh Tax” and promise of 2 crore jobs a year, the Congress will not stand on an ego as it will always say that yes, there was a mistake and it will not be repeated.