Camp: Rahatgarh in Sagar (Madhya Pradesh)

Date : 24th October, 2013

Time: 4 pm

Rahul Gandhi launches Congress campaign in Sagar (Madhya Pradesh); slams BJP

Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi addressed a mammoth rally at Rahat Garh in Sagar district of Madhya Pradesh. He

slammed BJP for ignoring the poor and assured that a Congress government will be formed in the state post elections. “Such

a government will be of aam aadmi, the youth and of the women here” promised the Congress Vice President.

He also slammed BJP for its "politics of India Shining". The Congress Vice-President asserted that the Congress unit in the

state is fighting with unity and expressed confidence that it will form the next government in Madhya Pradesh, which will

belong to the poor, youths and women.

“It is the Congress party only, which is bothered about aam aadmi. We want development but at the same time we want

empowerment and upliftment of the poor too” argued Rahul Gandhi. “Congress has initiated a politics of granting rights to

the people. We gave you the right to job; crores of people availed its benefits. Now we have implemented Right to food. For

thousands of years, lots of people are forced to live in hunger. Now we guarantee them 35 kg food grains at Rs. 1 per kg” said

the Congress leader referring to the historic food security bill implemented by the UPA Government at the Centre.

“Indira Gandhi talked about 'roti, kapda aur makaan'. You used to say then we will eat half the bread and bring Congress to

power. Now we have changed the slogan. We will have full bread and bring Congress to power. Whatever be the

consequences, we are not going to desert the poor, the weaker sections and the women," he added.

"Bundelkhand has become a victim of the slogan of India shining. The politics of India Shining has ignored the screams of the

people of Bundelkhand for development. Did you feel the glaze of India shining? This is politics of air-conditioner, the politics

of industrialists, they practise," Rahul Gandhi said taking a dig at BJP.

Countering BJP’s claims, the Congress leader asserted, "We made three times more road than what were constructed during

NDA's period. BJP did not construct as many airports as we did. We will make all those things, but the question is different.

Who will feed the people who walk on these roads and work in these farms? Will they get food through roads and airports?”

Speaking about Congress' struggle to pass the land acquisition bill, he said his party was committed to ensuring that poor

farmers get the value of their land at market rate. "If the land of the poor is sold, he should get the market rate. If the rich get

market rate, then farmers and labourers should also get market rate and the people working on that farmer's land should

also be compensated," he said.

“Congress is fighting this election as a single unit. They have promised me to fight with unity. Congress will form a

government here and that government will be a government of aam aadmi, women and the youth. It will have the voice of

Bundelkhand,” declared Rahul Gandhi while concluding his address.

The assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh will be held on November 25 and the counting will be done on Dec 8.

Full text of Sh. Rahul Gandhi’s speech at Sagar (Madhya Pradesh)

Before I start my speech, I just want to repeat what Digvijaya Singh Ji had said. The entire Congress unit in Madhya Pradesh is

united and we will face the elections with unity and we will win. We will stay together and will fight together and will win the

elections and will form the next government.

Bundelkhand is a historic place but it is a victim of the misdeeds by the people behind ‘India Shining’. They never listened to

their demands or requests. BJP’s politics is based on the policies for a selected group of people. Their policies are pro-

industrialists.

You must be remembering that Bundelkhand was severely affected by drought in 2008. I had visited this place. I visited

drought-hit areas of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. I stayed overnight at the houses of the villagers here, shared their

meals, faced mosquito-bites, had the water from their wells and also had fallen sick. But I felt happy; I go to the people to

know their problems. Our leaders must have the knowledge what exactly is happening in the villages. They must know what

kind of life the villages are leading.

When the poor farmers are shedding their blood and sweat for the development, the people behind ‘India Shining’ just

gather knowledge from TV only. When they watch the world through the Television, they see only the ‘shining’; they see only

the people wearing expensive suits. They do not know the reality in the villages. Though we sent huge funds for building

wells for Bundelkhand, nothing happened. We want that everyone must avail the benefits of the infrastructure. We want the

children of the poor people must be able to travel by the aeroplane. We are following a politics of aam aadmi.

Everyone wants development. We also want the roads and all other infrastructure in our country. We made three times more

road than what were constructed during NDA's period. BJP did not construct as many airports as we did. We will make all

those things, but the question is different. Who will feed the people who walk on these roads and work in these farms? Will

they get food through roads and airports? It is the Congress party only, which is bothered about aam aadmi. We want

development but at the same time we want empowerment and upliftment of the poor too.

Congress has initiated a politics of granting rights to the people. We gave you the right to job; crores of people availed its

benefits. Now we have implemented Right to food. For thousands of years, lots of people are forced to live in hunger. Now

we guarantee them 35 kg food grains at Rs. 1 per kg. Indira Gandhi talked about 'roti, kapda aur makaan'. You used to say

then we will eat half the bread and bring Congress to power. Now we have changed the slogan. We will have full bread and

bring Congress to power. Whatever be the consequences, we are not going to desert the poor, the weaker sections and the

women.

Congress will continue to fight for the rights of the poor and downtrodden. That is why we have implemented Food Security

Bill.

But, when we initiated the process of bringing this food bill, BJP had tried all their means to block it. They ask from where we

will have money to implement this. When we try to introduce a scheme for the poor, BJP raises questions. But when we

initiate any pro-rich measures, they keep mum. When they wasted the money sent by the Centre for Bundelkhand, they did

not have any queries.

We had to fight for long to make the Land Acquisition Bill a reality. If the land of the poor is sold, he should get the market

rate. If the rich get market rate, then farmers and labourers should also get market rate and the people working on that

farmer's land should also be compensated. They are now ensure with 4 times the market rate if their lands are acquired.

Could you see any shining when the BJKP was shouting ‘India Shining? Was Bundelkhand shining? Did you avail any benefits?

Could you secure proper jobs? What kind of politics BJP is trying to do? Farmers, youth, women and aam aadmi – no one

benefitted under BJP rule. The people of Bundelkhand were not happy but BJP ministers were very happy.

We will have elections here on November, 25th. Congress is fighting this election as a single unit. They have promised me to

fight with unity. Congress will form a government here and that government will be a government of aam aadmi, women and

the youth. It will have the voice of Bundelkhand.

We had helped Bundelkhand in crisis earlier and we will continue our support in future also.

Thank you.