Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Monday said here today that Congress believes in an inclusive government and seeks to empower women while the BJP believes otherwise.
Speaking at a rally here Rahul Gandhi pointed out that the UPA government had given in 50% reservations in panchayats for women. When the Government tried to bring women's reservation bill it was the BJP which created roadblocks.
Rahul Gandhi said that the Congress will set up colleges and universities for women. He said: "People talk about giving power to the women, but then one of the ministers during the BJP government had raped a woman.'
He said that Congress never works for one community or a caste, or creed. He added:" While we seek your advice as we feel we need to learn a lot from you, BJP talks of one chowkidaar (guardian) to rule the country. In contrast we want crores of guardians to rule this country," Gandhi said here.
Rahul Gandhi also talked of how Bengaluru was put on world map during Congress government led by S M Krishna, He also took potshots over corruption scandals hitting a new low in Karnataka during the BJP government.
"Your chief minister has just now told me that Karnataka comes second only after Maharashtra. Karnataka has been brought to this position solely by the people of the state and the Congress party. It is our leader SM Krishna under whose tenure as chief minister Bengaluru was put on the world map as the hub of Information Technology (IT). People in America and England also know Bengaluru's pioneering role in the field of IT," he said.
Rahul Gandhi added:" Then came the BJP government in Karnataka who broke the world record in corruption. They took away more than one lakh crores of rupees through illegal mining. The money which should have been used for your development has been usurped by the BJP leaders. I want to tell you some names of Karnataka Shinning where four MLA's and two ministers went to jail, like Janardan Reddy, Nagendra, Suresh Babu who are proponents of Gujarat and India Shinning model."
Rahul Gandhi pointed out that the BJP believed in inflating a balloon with as much air as possible and " fool people all over, and when they win elections; then they start looting people. In 2004 also they tried to do the same thing, but their India Shinning balloon got deflated," Gandhi said.
The Congress vice president said that the NDA government when it was in power had neglected the farmers.
He said: "In our ten years of rule our government has lifted 15 crores of people out of poverty. It is for the first time that such a thing has taken place. This is a historic achievement Because of MGNREGA, we gave crores of people right to food,and right to information. We have given access to the common man to know what is happening in the corridors of power."
Rahul Gandhi pointed out that during the time of NDA government farmers could not get any loan.
"When we came to power we opened the doors giving the farmers loans amounting to 70 thousand crore rupees. We fought for you and passed the Land Rehabilitation and Resettlement act and the opposition tried to stall it. We always believe in fulfilling what we promise. We fulfilled our promise in bringing Article 371 (J) which was earlier opposed by BJP's veteran leader L K Advani," Gandhi added.
Rahul also pointed out that 70 crore people have been lifted above the poverty line. But they were below the middle class and the party would give thrust and help industrialising the country.
He said:"Now we aim to lift those 70 crores of people who are an important factor in India . those daily wage earners like drivers, vegetable vendors whom we aim to empower and we will fight for them. I want to tell you how to achieve it, first we aim to open thousands of schools and colleges, secondly we will guarantee right to health for every citizens of this country and also a shelter which will be guaranteed for every poor person."
Rahul Gandhi said that the Congress would strengthen industrialization of the country. He said:" We have created dedicated freight corridor which can help the manufacturing sector, so that those products which are made in China which you wear could hold the insignia made in Karnataka," Gandhi said.
