Rahul mocks Advani over Jinnah issue

Addressing an election rally in support of the party candidate Surendra Goel in Ghaziabad,who is pitted against BJP president Rajnath Singh,Gandhi said,”In such a situation,a strong leader would have said I am resigning.”

The young Congress leader also said Advani was now claiming such things when the former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee “is not in a position to defend himself on the Kandhahar episode”.

“Strong leader does talk about Jinnah in Pakistan,” Gandhi said with sarcasm.

Hailing Prime Minister Manmohan Singh,the Gandhi scion described him as a strong leader.

“When the Left parties put pressure on the government and said they would withdraw the support on nuclear deal,I met Manmohan Singh. He told me it was important for the future. ‘Governments come and go’…this is the characteristic of a strong leader,” the Cong general secretary remarked.

Gandhi also hailed Manmohan Singh saying the PM talked about the poor and wanted to take them along in the process of development.

Ridiculing BJP for giving the slogan of ‘India Shining’ in the 2004 elections,Gandhi said Congress does not believe in such slogans until every child goes to school and college,until poverty is abolished and every farmer is happy.

“We will continue to say India is progressing fast and until all the problems are resolved,” he said.

The youth leader referred to rural job scheme,NREGA,loan waiver for farmers,mid-day meal at schools,nuclear deal in describing them as a step forward in the country’s development.

Gandhi claimed that though BJP was opposed to the N-deal,but they (BJP) were ready to do it themselves. “But when we (Cong) found that there was some lacuna,we renegotiated it (N-deal). If Congress is doing it,it is wrong. This is their thought,” Gandhi said.

He claimed they (BJP) would not tell you about the plan for your future but only criticise Congress. “Congress stand for progress for everybody,rich and poor,people belonging to every religion,every caste,and every state,” Gandhi said.

Criticising the MNS leadership in Maharashtra,Gandhi said they asked people from UP and Bihar to go away from Mumbai. “All of us are Indians and we have to progress together,” he said.

Referring to the Mayawati government,Gandhi said it was the matter of regret that “we cannot provide all help to the people as our one hand is tied”.

“We have to change it in three years. We will change it,” Gandhi said referring to the next assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh.

In a sharp attack on BJP for describing Manmohan Singh as a weak leader who cannot fight terrorism,Gandhi said after the Mumbai attack,the PM puts so much pressure on Pakistan that it admitted that terrorist came from there.

“Recently I went to Kashmir. There is peace… there is tourism,” he said referring to the normalcy in the Valley and claiming credit for the situation after UPA came to power there.