Rahul Gandhi: Congress a ‘sangathan of tapasya’, BJP-RSS of ‘forcible worship’

He said, “The Congress is a sangathan of tapasaya, the BJP is a puja ka sangathan. If the Congress does tapasya, we draw strength out of it; they (BJP) draw strength out of their puja. Puja is two types — I go to God and ask him for something, but the initiative is of the person who performs that puja. The RSS puja is different. RSS wants that their puja should be forcible. Modi ji wants sab log inki puja kare (everyone should worship him). Iska response tapasaya hi ho skata hai (The response to this can only be tapasya). That’s why this yatra is successful. A single person is not doing tapasya in this yatra, lakhs of people are doing it.”

He told reporters, “This country should have respect for the tapasya, for the skills that people possess. But the RSS-BJP say only those who worship them shall be respected. The RSS and the BJP are taking this country on the path of forcible worship, by capturing institutions, instilling fear in everybody, instilling fear in the media. That’s why Prime Minister is not facing you all. Somebody may ask him an odd question.”

Asked if the Congress was looking at making political gains through the Yatra, Gandhi said, “I am not interested in which states Congress government is formed. I am more interested in that wherever the Congress government is formed, what is that government going to do for the people in the five-year tenure.”

Gandhi said the Yatra was against the division of India. “There is another aim of this Yatra. It is also my personal aim. We are looking at this Yatra as a tapasya. We love our country, we love the people of our country. This Yatra’s aim is to make people hear the true voice of India. I can’t say if it shall lead to political gains. Our aim is to unite India, fight against hatred. The economic inequality occurring in this country, three-four-five people controlling this country’s institutions, media; rising unemployment, this Yatra is against all that. People are aware that it is because of this that majority of the wealth of this nation is in the hands of three-four people, which is why unemployment is rising. To raise people’s voice against this is the aim of this yatra.”

Asked about his takeaway from the Yatra, the Congress leader told reporters, “When Arjun was aiming for the fish’s eye, did he say what he would do after shooting that arrow? The answer is there in the Bhagavad Gita, too. You do your job, whatever happens will happen. There will be another thing after this Yatra, followed by another thing. You all will see.”

On the question regarding his T-shirt, Gandhi said, “You all got me a scolding from my mother. She said how am I roaming around (in a t-shirt).”

He reiterated he was not concerned about his image as projected by the BJP. “Rahul Gandhi is in your mind. I killed him. He is no longer in my mind. The person whom you are looking at is not Rahul Gandhi. He is visible to you only. Rahul Gandhi is in your brain. He is in BJP’s brain. He is not in my brain. I have got nothing to do with my image. I have no interest in it. You can project it the way you want. I am just doing my job.”

Talking about the farmers, Minimum Support Price (MSP), and the Swaminathan Commission’s report on the issue, the Congress MP said, “These things can not be replied to casually. We hold discussions on such issues in our manifesto committee meetings. We study its financial implications, other implications. It does not mean anything if I say yes or no to it, here right now. We accept that farmers are being hounded from all four directions. He is being killed directly because of rising fuel prices, he is indirectly being killed because he is not getting compensation for his crop losses. He is being killed by rising fertilizer prices. we realise that those who are the spine of our country are being killed. Three farm laws were weapons to kill our farmers. We realise they (farmers) need protection. We realise that farmers are being attacked. I can give a guarantee that wherever the Congress forms the government, farmers shall be protected, if loans can be waived for businessmen, farmers’ loans shall also be waived off.”

Replying to a question on several law-and-order issues in Chhattisgarh where the Congress is in power, Gandhi said, “Can you ask the same question in front of Narendra Modi? How many such press conferences has the PM done where he can be asked such questions? I am saying that hatred is being spread by dividing people based on religion. Has the Congress ever done this? Has the Congress ever said that people should be made to fight with each other on religious grounds? If there is allegedly any wrong happening in Chhattisgarh , I shall go there and see it. If there will be any flaws, I shall speak there about that. There are land acquisition issues, there is tension in Chhattisgarh . But our policy is not that (divisive politics). After the Yatra concludes, I will visit Chhattisgarh and look into it.”

Gandhi also spoke about unemployment. “Thousands of youngsters tell me they want to become engineers, doctors, and lawyers. Only 10-15 per cent may get such jobs, but the rest will end up being unemployed. A girl met me and told me that she wanted to become IAS. I asked her how many children become IAS officers annually. She replied five lakh. I said no it is wrong, it is only 150 per year. So, such lies are being told by this government to innocent children. How will employment be generated? Respectable employment can be given to crores of people by another revolution, promoting industries, by promoting medium and small scale industries. Honda company’s owner was a mechanic, Toyota’s owner was a mechanic, can you name a single mechanic here who has become a big businessman? We need to improve our education system. Our existing system is only showing five ways, while there are lakhs of ways in this country. The day, this country will start respecting skills, this country will become a superpower. Till that day, it is all hollow promises.”