During the 16th Hindustan Times Leadership Summit on Friday October 5, Congress president Rahul Gandhi spoke on various issues ranging from demonetisation to his party’s mistakes to attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi and promising certain things that he would do if voted as PM candidate.
RAHUL GANDHI ON IF VOTED TO POWER
While in conversation with Hindustan Times Chairperson Shobhana Bhartia at the Summit Rahul Gandhi was asked about his desire and plans to become next Prime Minister. Answering to the question, Congress chief said, “This is a two-step process. First to defeat BJP together and then sit down and decide who will become the Prime Minister.
“If they (allies) want me, definitely I will (become the Prime Minister),” he added.
He further added that he will at least do the following three things with guarantee for better India if elected as the Prime Minister in upcoming elections –
- I will strengthen the small and medium enterprise.
- I will make farmers feel they are important
- I will build a low cost-high quality medical and education infrastructure.
Rahul had earlier stated if the Congress emerges as the single largest party, he will assume the post, which is presently held by Narendra Modi.
CONGRESS vs BSP
Apart from elections, Rahul Gandhi was also asked about the tiff between the Congress and the Bahujan Samaj Party and whether that would affect the grand alliance being talked about for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. To this, Gandhi said while the Congress was confident of winning the Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh Assembly Elections 2018, the alliance was safe at the national level.
RELIGIOUS SIDE OF CONGRESS
During the summit, when Congress chief was suddenly asked the religious side of his party, Rahul said he had been visiting temples, mosques, gurudwaras and churches all his life but it was only now that it was being highlighted and played up. He also took a dig at the BJP saying, “They get irritated. They think that it’s only their right to go to temples.” He also added that there was a difference between Hinduism and Hindutva.
“BJP’s GST, DEMONETISATION A SUFFOCATING POLICY”
Rahul Gandhi launched a scathing attack on PM Modi and Bharatiya Janata Party over Demonetisation and GST policy, accusing it of imposing a “single, suffocating ideology on 1.3 billion people”. He criticised demonetisation, BJP’s concept of Aadhaar and GST. He said that the Congress’ version of the GST was completely different from the BJP’s vision. “Our vision was a simplified GST. Not designed to harass people,” he said. The theme of this year’s Summit is ‘Reimagining The Future’.
