Congress chief Rahul Gandhi Wednesday lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the RSS and said issues of Kerala should be decided by the people of the state and not by Modi or the RSS chief.
While addressing three massive rallies in Wayanad, the second constituency from where he is contesting, besides Amethi, Gandhi tore into the BJP-led NDA government and said the saffron party was only interested in imposing its ideology on the people of the country.
"Who is Mohan Bhagwat to teach us about culture and history?. Kerala should be run by the people of Kerala. This is the same sentiment in state after state," he said, addressing a rally at Vandoor in Wayanad constituency.
Gandhi said he wanted the world to know the name of Wayanad and wished to transform it into a tourism hub.
"The world knows Kerala is God's own country. I want the whole world to think of Wayanad when they think about God's own country We can work together to achieve this," he said.
Taking a jibe at Modi,Gandhi said he was not here to tell his 'Mann Ki Baat', but understand the various difficulties, including the night travel ban, man-animal conflicts and lack of medical facilities being faced by the people here.
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"I understand there are complex problems here. There are man-animal conflicts.
There is a conflict between development and environment...I want to see a solution. I don't believe in imposing a solution. I believe in the wisdom and intellectual of our people in resolving such issues," Gandhi said.
"I am not like the Prime Minister. I am not going to make false promises and tell you I will give you two crore jobs or Rs 15 lakh in bank accounts or that I will give farmers whatever they want.
I am not going to lie to you. Because I respect your intelligence.. your wisdom," Gandhi said.
The crowd also chanted 'Rahul, Rahul' when he said he wanted to have a lifelong relationship with the people of the hilly Wayanad constituency.
"I just don't want to have a relationship for just a few months. I want a lifelong relationship with you.
I want the sisters of Wayanad to say that I am like their brother, fathers and mothers to say that I am their son," Gandhi said.
In an apparent reply to BJP chief Amit Shah's comment equating Wayanad to Pakistan, the Congress chief said he wanted to represent the remote district as the "beautiful place" which symbolises different ideas, cultures and that the rest of the country can learn from Kerala and Wayanad.
He also said he wanted to make it a point that the voice of the south is as "important" as rest of the country.
"Once I decided to fight election from south India, I realised that Wayanad was the best place.
Because it represents many many different ideas, cultures...Kerala is an example of peaceful co-existence. There is a lot that the rest of the country can learn from Kerala and Wayanad," he said.
Gandhi was all praise for Kerala and Wayanad in particular and said almost all communities can be found in this beautiful place.
"What is more important is the way these communities live together.
Kerala is an example of peaceful co-existence.I don't say this lightly. There is a lot that the rest of the country can learn from Kerala and Wayanad," he said.
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