I am here to send message of unity, Rahul Gandhi on Wayanad candidature
Wayanad: Congress President Rahul Gandhi Thursday said he will "absorb all the attacks" of the CPI(M), which is miffed over his Wayanad candidature in Kerala, and will not speak against the Left parties during his campaign.
Speaking to reporters after filing his nomination papers for the Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency, Gandhi also said he is contesting from seats in north and south to "send a message".
The 48-year-old Congress chief is contesting from Kerala's Wayanad in addition to his traditional stronghold of Amethi in Uttar Pradesh.
"The CPI(M) and the Congress have been locked in a fight in Kerala. This will go on. I understand that the CPI(M) has to fight me. But, I am not going to say a word against the CPI(M).
"I am here to send a message of unity that south India is important, and I fully understand that the CPI(M) has to attack me. So, I will absorb all their attacks with happiness, but from me you will not hear a word against them in my campaign," the Congress chief said.
There were two main issues faced by the country--"lack of jobs and agrarian crisis", he said.
"Farmers are unaware of what the future holds for them. Youngsters are running from state to state searching for jobs and (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi has failed on both the fronts," Gandhi said, while attacking the PM.
Gandhi also said, "The country had faith on the prime minister when he said he would be the chowkidar (watchman). But, the chowkidar himself has given Anil Ambani Rs 30,000 crore of air force money."
"He (Modi) has stolen money money and has given to Anil Ambani who has no experience (aircraft manufacturing). Anil Ambani is in Rs 45,000 crore debt," Gandhi alleged, once again attacking the NDA government over the Rafale deal.
The government has repeatedly denied any corruption in the Rafale deal.
On his candidature from Wayanad, Gandhi said he wanted to "send a message that India is one."
"I have come to Kerala to send a message that India is one. South, north, east, west, centre... all are one. There is an assault taking place across the country by the RSS and BJP. I just want to send a message and I will stand from south India and north India. My aim was to give a message.
"There is a feeling in south India that by the way in which the Narendra Modi government is functioning, their culture, language, history all are being attacked. So I wanted to give a message that I will fight from north and south," Gandhi said.
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K'taka Cong to protest against replacing MGNREGA, 'hate politics' in National Herald case
Belagavi (Karnataka) (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Tuesday said that the ruling Congress in the state will hold protests against the central government's move to replace the existing rural employment law MGNREGA, and the alleged "hate politics" against the party leadership in the National Herald case on December 17.
The state Congress president said that the protest led by him and CM Siddaramaiah will be held in front of Gandhi state at Suvarna Vidhana Soudha here on Wednesday, and similar protests will also be held at all district and taluka centres of the state.
The party also plans to raise the issues in the state legislature here.
"The agitation has become necessary. Tomorrow at 9.30 am, the chief minister, myself, all ministers, MLAs and MLCs will stage a protest in front of the Gandhi statue. Everyone will participate," Shivakumar said.
Speaking to reporters here, he said the protests will also be held in all district and taluk centres including Bengaluru, and there is also a plan for a programme on Saturday, details of which will be shared later.
"In Assembly too there is a need to discuss this and for it to go into records, we are making preparations for it....the protest is against removing Mahatma Gandhi's name from MGNREGA, and against the hate politics towards Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Congress leaders," he added.
The Congress' move, came as the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Bill, 2025, that seeks to replace the existing rural employment law MGNREGA, was introduced in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday amid strong objections by the opposition to the "removal" of Mahatma Gandhi's name from it.
Also, a court in Delhi on Tuesday refused to take cognisance of the Enforcement Directorate's money laundering charge against Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, and five others in the National Herald case.
Alleging that Congress leaders, including Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi were "harassed" in connection with the National Herald case, Shivakumar said several people, including him, had given funds to help the party related organisation, and they too were being troubled.
"My brother D K Suresh (former MP) and I were supposed to appear before the Delhi police in connection with the National Herald case. We had written a letter to them seeking a FIR copy. Chargesheet was filed by ED in the case without an FIR," he claimed.
Pointing to the Delhi Court's decision, the Deputy CM said, "This is proof that the legal system in the country is still alive. This also proves that the power is being misused (by those in the central government) to harass political opponents."
Highlighting that former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru started the National Herald in 1937, and that it is Congress' property, Shivakumar, questioning the validity of the ED case, said, "As Congress presidents (in past) Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi had their shares, it was not their own. Similarly, if we as Congress workers don't donate to the party organisation, who else will?"
Shivakumar also said that the move to rename MNREGA is with an intention to "insult" Gandhi and to weaken the scheme by reducing its funding.
