Rahul Gandhi at AICC session promises partymen to treat everyone equally

"From today Rahul Gandhi will work for all. I want to promise that I will treat all of you equally, be it young leaders, experienced leaders, women. I will listen to everybody," said Rahul Gandhi, the newly appointed Congress Vice President while delivering his maiden speech after the new party post. He struck an emotional chord with the party members and said that his new role would be "that of a judge and not a lawyer".

Making a strong pitch for focus on leadership development, he said, "we have to prepare 40 to 50 leaders, who can run the country. Similarly we should have 5 to 10 leaders in states, any one of whom can become Chief Minister". Rahul Gandhi also recalled that after India became independent, Congress had giants like Nehru, Patel and Azad, anyone of whom could have become the Prime Minister.

Addressing the youth, he said, "we need to respond to urgent demand for jobs" and added that the decision to create further job needs to be liberated from irrational laws. Rahul Gandhi came down heavily on the Opposition parties and criticised them for terming the Aadhar scheme as bribing the people. Rahul underlined the benefits of schemes like MNREGA, Food Bill, Right to Education, Direct cash transfer scheme. Touching on the issue of anomaly in ticket distribution, Gandhi said politicians from other parties join Congress at the time of election and then go back to their previous parties after losing the elections. He said such leaders from outside "parachute" just before polls and "fly away" after losing the election.

"Our workers are left in the lurch. This has to change. First and foremost, the Congress workers should be honoured. Then there is a problem of people putting up rebels during elections. There is a need to take action against them," he said. Striking a personal note, the young leader recalled the moments when his mother and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi walked into his room last night. "Last night each one of you congratulated me. My mother came to my room and she sat with me and she cried... Because she understands that power so many people seek is actually a poison," Rahul Gandhi said.

He recalled the time his grandmother and the then PM Indira Gandhi was assassinated in 1984 by security guards with whom he used to play badminton as "friends" and how his father Rajiv Gandhi, who was himself "broken inside", showed a "glimmer of hope" to the people.

After the speech, Rahul hugged his mother and later the Prime Minister, while other senior leaders greeted him with some of them giving him a warm embrace.

Rahul Gandhi's first speech after taking over as Congress Vice President

 Newly appointed Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi while delivering his first speech after the new assignment at Congress' chintan shivir at the Jaipur on the concluding day said that the people of this country are his life and he will fight for them. "The people of India are my life and I will fight for the people of India and for this party. I will fight with everything I have. I invite all of you to stand up and take on this fight" said Rahul Gandhi amidst loud applauds.
"This is a huge honour for me. Over the past 8 years and in the past 8 years the party has taught a lot to me. The party has reposed tremendous faith in me and I want to thank all of you from bottom of my heart for all the help and directions they have given me" he added.

Rahul Gandhi: Use power to empower the voices

Speaking for the first time after being appointed as the vice president of the Congress Party, young Rahul Gandhi said that he was not seeking power for the sake of it but to use it to empower the powerless.

Speaking on the last day of Jaipur chintan shivir of the party, Rahul Gandhi thanked the Congress workers for giving him the honor of party vice president-ship and said that he would continue to learn from the senior and young leaders of the party in the future.

Rahul Gandhi also credited the Congress party for taking the country forward in the last 60 years. The new Congress Vice President added that India achieved milestones like green revolution, IT and telecom revolution, liberalization etc because people were given voices.

Rahul Gandhi also said that we have come to a point where people are seeking more voices and more accountability from the leadership. Stressing on the need of decentralization, Rahul questioned the approach of a few people occupying the entire political space. The young Congress leader stressed on the need to start respecting people for their knowledge and not alienating them.

Rahul Gandhi: We have to rethink and transform our system and the country

Rahul Gandhi, the newly appointed Congress Vice President on Sunday delivered a powerful call for change to meet the aspirations of the nation's young and impatient new generation.  "We have to rethink and transform our system and the country," Rahul Gandhi told party members as Congress ended a three-day chintan shivir in the pink city of Jaipur.

“We must listen to the voice of a young and impatient India to ensure they do not feel alienated from the political system”, he said.

Rahul Gandhi's elevation represents a generational shift in Indian politics in which most of the leaders are over 60, while roughly half of the country's 1.2 billion population is under 25.

Striking an emotional chord with the audience Rahul Gandhi continued “As a boy I loved to play badminton because it gave me balance in a complicated world. I was taught by two policemen who protected my grandmother and were my friends. They killed my grandmother and took way the balance”. “In the evening I saw my father address the nation. He was terrified of what lay ahead of him. But I saw a glimmer of hope. That hope has brought India where it is today,” added Rahul Gandhi recalling his father and former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi who was the champion of the modern India.

In his speech drowned often by applause, Rahul Gandhi sought to dispel doubts about his political commitment, declaring the "Congress party is now my life." "I will fight for the people of India with everything I have," Rahul Gandhi promised, adding he was "optimistic as we already have the building blocks for a better future".

Rahul Gandhi's first interaction with media after taking over as Congress Vice President

Newly appointed Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi had a brief interaction with the media persons when he visited AICC office for the first time after taking over the new assignment. "Congress is the big instrument that can bring in changes. Congress party is a big instrument that brings in more youngsters. And it is the big and strong instrument than can transform the country" said Rahul Gandhi.

Rahul Gandhi visits AICC office for the first time after taking over as Congress Vice President

Congress leaders greeted newly appointed Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi on his first visit to AICC office after taking over as the new assignment in the party. The leaders greeted the young leader with followers and by shaking hands. Rahul Gandhi was appointed as Congress Vice President in the recently held Congress' Chintan Shivir at Jaipur.

Rahul Gandhi calls for change in system

Newly appointed Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi said it was time to repair a broken system of governance in his first speech. Rahul Gandhi was elevated as Congress vice-president at athe chintan shivir in Jaipur on Jan. 19. With 15 months for next general elections, Rahul Gandhi asked the partymen to use the power to hear the voice of the people.

 “The time has come to question the centralized, unresponsive, unaccountable systems of decision-making,” Rahul Gandhi told his partymen. “There is a young and impatient India and it is demanding a greater voice in the nation’s future and they are not going to watch silently.”

In an emotional 45-minute speech, Rahul Gandhi thanked the party for appointing him, stressed the need to eradicate corruption and said there should be a greater decentralization of power away from government. He talked about the assassination of his grandmother, former Premier Indira Gandhi, and how his mother cried in his room the night before his appointment, warning him of the dangers of political power.

Rahul Gandhi said voters are fed up with “people who are corrupt talking about eradicating corruption, and people who disrespect women every day talking about women’s rights,” reflecting on two issues that have sparked street protests over the last 18 months.

Rahul Gandhi has focused on issues facing India’s poor and how to make economic growth more inclusive, throwing his weight behind a bill to raise compensation for farmers’ land when it’s acquired for industry or roads. Rahul Gandhi’s decision to accept the new job is a big development as it sends a clear signal that the youth will get more involvement in Congress politics. 

Sonia Gandhi :We as the Congress Party must work united, to come up to the people’s expectations

“The time has come to work together, as the people of our country have great expectations from our Congress party. And, only by fulfilling the aspirations of  people, we will definitely get the mandate again in the coming Lok Sabha  elections, just a little more than a year away from now,” declared Congress President Sonia Gandhi.

She in her concluding address on the concluding day of on-going Chintan Shivir  (brainstorming session) here on Sunday, urged the party workers to gear-up for effective organizational thrusts at all levels, in a meaningful manner.

“ Its time to look within, as the party. What makes us different and unique compared to other political out-fits in the country, must be outlined very clearly. We must answer effectively to questions as why people should vote for the Congress,” categorically stated Congress President Sonia Gandhi.

Congress-led UPA has completed eight and half years at the Centre. It has been a long journey. “We have come up a long way and we must apprise the people with our achievements. Be it about projects under UPA flagship or about various legislations like Right to Information Act ( RTI) and many others, we must project these to the people in general. We have to tell that we as a party have been deeply concerned for the social justice and economic parity among all sections of the society,” she stressed.

Notably, at the very outset of her address at about 10.30 am on Sunday here, Congress President Sonia Gandhi deliberated upon about the unfortunate incident of Delhi gang-rape on December 16 last year. She strongly forwarded that death of  the gang-rape victim in the nation’s capital would not go in vain.

“She ( gang rape victim) was brave and she symbolized the spirit of new India. I will personally see that every single woman and single girl in the country are safe and secure,”  strongly advocated Congress President Sonia Gandhi.

She also talked about reservation for women in the Parliament and she said that it was the vision of late Rajiv Gandhi who forwarded for women’s reservation in the Panchayati Raj system.

Talking about the issue of development as being a poll plank by many political parties, she said that as a party, the Congress is committed for overall development with social justice and economic parity for all.

She urged the party workers to expose all those (other political parties) which claim the UPA flagship projects as their own. Congress President Sonia Gandhi said, “We have not discriminated against any state and have given financial assistance, as required. But, many states claim the Central projects as their own, which we must expose.”

“Congress-led UPA at the Centre is doing all it can, for the overall development of the nation. We as the party must also get into effective mechanism to let people know what all we have done so far and what all we are doing for the country,” she said.

Talking about global economic slowdown and its effect on the Indian economy, Congress President said that some hard decisions have been taken to keep away the likely damages on our economy. “We as the Congress Party must make people aware about these facts and the necessity of the decisions, taken in the interest of the nation,” she focused. She also talked about international relations and said that on accepted civilised structures, the country would go for it with any other country. 

  

In a statement declared from the dais of the Chintan Shivir, Congress President Sonia Gandhi said that the Congress party has been led by great people like Mahatma Gandhi, Lal Bahadur Shashtri, Indira Gandhi., Maulana Azad, Dr B R Ambedkar, Rajiv Gandhi  and many others, to make India a modern country as it is today.

“We as the Congress Party have been fortunate to have been led by great visionaries and now, with their ideals, we must surge ahead to come up to the expectations of the people of this country,” announced Congress President Sonia Gandhi.

Sonia Gandhi at AICC session: Tackling corruption, safety of women should be the priorities

“I will continue to press for women reservation Bill; Delhi Gang-rape victim’s death will not go in vain”

Congress President Sonia Gandhi today addressed a meeting of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) in Jaipur on the last day of the Chintan Shivir that began on Friday. “I am delighted by the active participation of our young leaders at the Shivir. The Chintan Shivir allowed us to introspect on key national and international issues” said the Congress President.

Referring her concern over corruption which according to her is deep rooted in the entire system, Sonia Gandhi said “Let me reiterate corruption at all levels is a deep rooted malice and all sections of society are affected by it. As a party we must lead struggle to combat its effect. At the last AICC session, corruption was major issue. I laid out a five-point action plan then and the government has worked on it.”  “We have introduced the Lokpal bill in Parliament. We have introduced new path-breaking legislation for addressing public grievances and to protect whistleblowers” added the Congress President.

Touching upon the game changing policy of Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) Sonia Gandhi said “We also launched the historic 'Aap Ka Paisa Aap Ke Haath' scheme, which will stop corruption by middlemen”.

Sonia Gandhi also talked about the recent gang rape incident in Delhi that invited wide protests across the country. “The barbaric gang-rape of a young woman in Delhi has shaken the country. She embodied the spirit of an aspirational India. We will ensure her death will not go in vain” said the Congress President.

“Gender issues were discussed at the Chintan Shivir. The Congress has been at the forefront in the struggle to empower women, and it will continue to do so. Every woman has the fundamental right to feel safe and secure. Public figures made unacceptable remarks against women. We cannot tolerate mindsets that lead to crimes against women and children” she underlined.

Sonia Gandhi then declared “I assure you I will continue to press for a law for 30 per cent reservation for women in Parliament and assemblies”.

Exhorting the leaders to go to the people and explain the Congress’s achievements, the party leader continued “Today is also the time for the party to introspect and see how we are better than our opponents. We need to clearly explain to the people why we are a better political choice. We have the support of all sections of the society. The Congress is especially concerned about the welfare of the backward sections, women and farmers”.

She also sent out a warning; “We will fight forces that threaten the unity and integrity of the country”.

Listing out UCongress-led UPA Govt’s achievements, the chairperson of the claition said “Congress has worked to free the country from poverty. Our UPA government has worked very effectively under the leadership of Manmohan Singh”.

While defending the Centre’s economic reform measures, she added “Global recession is having an effect on India and has forced the government to take some hard decisions, which have hit the people” and told the Congress leaders, “We should explain to the people the reasons for these hard economic decisions”.

Admitting that the people have losing faith in politicians, Sonia Gandhi reminded “People are losing faith in politicians. We have to understand why this is happening”.

The Congress president also spoke about the need for electoral reforms and said that the Election Commission (EC) must introduce the necessary changes. Sonia Gandhi also asked the party members to work with unity and discipline saying that their victory was in the victory of the party.

“There are only 15 months left to the Lok Sabha elections. If we work well, there is no doubt we will be re-elected again. This is the time to work hard. As the country's main political party, the people's expectations from us is higher. We cannot let down the people who have put their faith in us” she said while concluding her address.