Rahul Gandhi: Modiji refused to hear the pulse of the nation, we will focus on jobs, farmers

After the positive election results from the three states of Hindi heartland, Rahul Gandhi addressing the media said that this victory in the assembly election is the victory of party workers, farmers, small businessmen/owners and he thanked them. He said that the victory has brought a major responsibility. “We will work toward fulfilling that responsibility. I would like to thank all the people who worked for Congress in the states we have won as well as in the states we have lost,” He added.

He thanked the chief ministers of the states where the Congress has registered victory. “They (the chief ministers) have worked a lot there and we would like to take their work forward.

But he said it clearly that It's now time for change. “We are going to provide the three states with a vision for overall development.”

“There is a clear feeling in the country that PM Modi has failed to deliver what he had committed,” Rahul Gandhi added.

Commenting on the future equation with the SP and BSP, he said, “the ideology of SP BSP is similar to that of the Congress. We were very open in our conversation but ‘baat bani nahi.(But it did not work out.)’”

When questioned on the party’s concerns about the EVMs, Rahul Gandhi said that the doubts have been raised over EVMs all over the world and the Congress will continue raising the concerns. “The question of EVM is a generic issue and is being raised the world over. The people are not comfortable with this. The electronic system of voting can be tampered with but mannual voting can not be. This question is being raised the world over and not only in India. So this question is not off the table,” he said.

On PM Modi and the present Central government Rahul Gandhi said, “Prime Minister Modi was elected on three issues; employment, corruption and farmers. And the reality is that corruption took place in Rafale deal. The truth about it will be revealed one day. Farmers are in bad shape. Economy is in a bad shape. Frankly PM is paralysed. He is unable to take the pressure. India is facing job crises, PM should be able to face it.”

Regarding the loan waiver for the farmers, Rahul Gandhi said, “we have said that the process of loan waiver for farmers will start as soon as our governments are formed.”

On Congress strategy for the coming Lok Sabha election, he said, “our approach is different than the BJP. The BJP has one ideology. We will fight against it but we don’t want to make India free of that ideology. We will fight it but not make India ‘mukt’ of it.

He called demonetisation is a scam and said that under BJP big mismanagement of economy took place, unnecessary damage was done to sections of economy that were doing well.

Talking about the 2014 elections, he said, “PM Modi had a vision. The country had patience to listen to him to consider that vision but honestly he and the BJP completely failed.”

He added that the most important thing that he learnt during 2014 elections was humility. This is a great country and the most important thing is its people. We have to connect to them as political leader. Five years ago PM Modi was given an opportunity to work for the country. But it is sad that he refused to listen to the heart beat of this country, the youth of this country.

About the farmers plight he said, “I said in my speeches that loan waiver is a supporting step but not the solution. Solution is not easy but we will do it, we will support farmers. For that we will have to work with the farmers and the people of this country.

He attributed the party’s success in three states to the vision that the BJP was not able to project before them and the hard work of the Congress party workers. “They were very effective in winning the elections. We also very effectively ironed out the tension which are there between the leaders,” he said.

He constantly stressed on the problem of unemployment, corruption and farmers and said that his party will formulate a vision so that these problems could be sorted out in the states.

The Congress President Rahul Gandhi’s media address can be seen here: