Wayanad(Kerala): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday emphasised that the primary struggle in the country today is to protect and preserve the Constitution.
He said the Constitution of the country was not written with hatred, but with humility and love.
“The main fight in the country today, that is taking place, is the fight for the Constitution of our country. The protection that we get, the greatness of our country, all emerged from the Constitution,” the Lok Sabha MP said while addressing a corner meeting in Mananthavady here as part of the campaign for his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
Priyanka is the Congress candidate for the Wayanad Lok Sabha by-election.
“The Constitution was not written with anger or with hatred. It was written by the people who fought the British, the people who had suffered, who spent years and years and years in jail. And they wrote the Constitution with humility, with love and with affection,” he said.
The Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha pointed out that this is a fight between love and hatred.
“A fight between confidence and insecurity. And if you truly want to win this fight, then you must help by removing anger from your heart, by removing hatred from your heart, and replacing them with love, humility and compassion,” he told the gathering.
Rahul Gandhi highlighted the qualities of her sister and shared nostalgic memories of their childhood.
He also said it was the first time he is seeking votes for his sister, who has campaigned for him, and their parents earlier.
“She is the person who went and hugged the girl who was implicated in my father’s (Rajiv Gandhi) assassination. She said to me after she came back after meeting Nalini, she went emotional and then she said to me that I’m feeling bad for her,” Rahul Gandhi recalled.
“That is the training that she has received. And to me, this is the type of politics that needs to be done in India. Not the politics of hatred, but politics of love and affection.”
During the second phase of her campaign, Priyanka continued her tirade against the central government alleging that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has done everything for his business friends.
“Modi ji’s government works only for his big businessmen friends. His objective, is not to give you a better life. It is not to find new jobs for your young one who are educated. It is not to provide better health, education and well being of the people,” she alleged.
Priyanka accused the Modi government of dividing people, spreading hatred among them and taking away their rights, besides damaging democratic institutions.
“They attacked Rahul Gandhi Ji for fighting for people’s rights,” the Congress leader said.
She also mentioned her work with Mother Teresa and also about sister Rosebell who resides in Mananthavady.
Priyanka promised to continue her fight for the establishment of a medical college here with full health facilities.
In her speech, the Congress leader also highlighted night ban, traffic issues on Ghat Road, man-animal conflicts, tribals and agrarian issues in the mountain constituency.
Referring to Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Programme (MGNREGA) which greatly benefited the tribal community, she alleged that the Centre’s funding for this programme and the job availability through the scheme have been reduced.
“We need to raise our voice in the Parliament, and all the platforms to push the government to increase the funding.”
Priyanka Gandhi resumed her campaign from Sunday by holding public and corner meetings in the hill constituency with her brother Rahul Gandhi.
The Congress general secretary, who is making her electoral debut, will be in Kerala till November 7, according to her itinerary released by the party.
After the meeting at Gandhi Park in Mananthavady here, she attended corner meetings separately at Valad and Korom in Mananthavady Assembly constituency on Sunday.
Priyanka resumed her campaign for the by-poll amid criticism from rival candidates that she would visit the constituency like a guest or a seasonal festival.
The Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency consists of seven Assembly segments– Mananthavady (ST), Sulthan Bathery (ST) and Kalpetta in Wayanad district, Thiruvambady in Kozhikode district and Eranad, Nilambur, and Wandoor in Malappuram district.
The by-election for Wayanad LS seat was necessitated after Rahul Gandhi, who won the Lok Sabha polls from there and Rae Bareli constituency, decided to vacate Wayanad.
Voting in Wayanad will be held on November 13.
