Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi today said that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and the Bharatiya Janata Party were trying to impose the “culture of silence” in the country so that people have no voice.
He also said that the Congress was fighting a political battle in the state while at the same time it was fighting an ideological battle at the national level against the ideology of the RSS and the BJP.
Addressing the newly elected members of the gram, block and district samitis, municipalities and municipal corporations here today, Gandhi congratulated them, saying they were to protect the constitution at the grassroots level. He pointed out, the panchayats and other local bodies are at the foundation of the three-tier system of democracy.
“If we want to protect constitution and ensure that the constitution survives, we have to protect the third tier, that is the panchayats and other local bodies”, he noted, while adding that the idea of the 73rd and 74th constitutional amendment, that empowered local bodies, was that of the Congress party only.
Asserting that there was a difference between the RSS-BJP on the one hand and the Congress on the other, he said, while they (the RSS-BJP) believe in centralisation, the Congress believes in decentralisation. He said, the RSS and the BJP do not want to hear the voice of the people of India.
Quoting his conversation with Dr Leelavathy after presenting her with the Priyadarshini Literary Award, he said, she spoke about the culture of silence and how it was spreading across the country.
Gandhi said that the ideological attack of the RSS-BJP is designed to create a culture of silence. “They want India to remain silent and not to express itself as they want to deliver all the wealth of India to a few select businessmen”, he said, while adding, “they know that will be possible only if the democratic voice of the Indian people is silenced”.
However, he expressed confidence that nobody can silence the voice of the people of Kerala.
Asserting that the UDF was certain to win the ensuing assembly elections in the state, Gandhi spelt out the agenda of the government saying it will need to provide jobs to the youth.
He said he was proud about the achievements of the people of Kerala in different parts of the world. At the same time, he added, the UDF government will create an atmosphere where the youth of Kerala can achieve everything they have achieved abroad, within the state itself.
Recalling his deep and profound association with Kerala having served as an MP from the state, Gandhi said, “I am telling you with all humility that I learnt tremendous things from the people of Kerala”.
“Your history, tradition, language, political depth and most importantly your ability to stand together irrespective of difference of religion, culture and the idea of standing together has shown me how this is done”, he told people here amidst thumping applause.
Among those present on the occasion included Congress general secretary in charge of organisation KC Venugopal, Deepa Das Munshi, Sachin Pilot and others.
Also read: Kerala CPM leader S Rajendran joins BJP
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