There was no ‘namaskaram’ in Malayalam that national leaders typically like to begin their speeches in Kerala with. No Vishu greetings either. Rahul Gandhi, when he came on stage pretty much on time at the Central Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram, went straight to the matter – telling the hundreds gathered there why they should vote for him. The Indian National Congress President, contesting in two places for the general elections – one of them, Kerala’s Wayanad – kept his word of not attacking the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF). He came to Thiruvananthapuram after campaigning in Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha and Kollam.
His colleagues in the state’s Congress party – Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala, KPCC president Mullappally Ramachandran – did not seem to share Rahul Gandhi’s lenient views. They spoke long lines of how the Pinarayi Vijayan-led LDF government had done nothing good for the state. Surprising the audience, there was also on stage, Shashi Tharoor, Thiruvananthapuram’s MP contesting for the third time, with a bandage and a cloth covering his head. Only a day ago, he suffered a head injury from a temple ceremony that went wrong. Rahul Gandhi lauded the MP for his spirit.
Rahul lulled his attack against the Left. But the Prime Minister-hopeful spared no words in critiquing the BJP-led government and its ally RSS.
He spoke at length how the Congress believes different expressions, opinions, ideas and philosophies of the people should come together to run the country, while their rivals BJP-RSS wanted to impose one ideology. “Nobody can impose one idea on this great country. Let different ideas grow. Let’s discuss in debates our differences. The Congress party believes in our own ideas but also respects the ideas of others. But they (BJP-RSS) say, crush the other ideas. The PM says there should be Congress-mukth (free) India; but you will never hear a Congress leader say a similar thing. We don’t want to destroy or eliminate anyone. We will fight the BJP and RSS but with love and affection, and we will defeat them too, with love and affection. For we understand that hatred hurts India, that division and anger hurt India.”
He spoke of how many believed the promised ‘Ache Din’ would come in the five years that the BJP government had ruled. “But today we have the highest unemployment in 45 years. We have the highest suicide rate of farmers. Small and medium businesses have been wiped out by demonetisation and Gabber Singh Tax (GST).”
He spoke of the Rafale Deal controversy in detail and alleged that Anil Ambani of Reliance had gotten away with Rs 35,000 crore.
Criticising Modi's promise of Rs 15 lakh for every citizen – one that never materialised - Rahul said he had more realistic plans. He had asked ‘the best economists’ what is the realistic amount that the government can give the poorest of the poor without hurting the economy, and the answer he got is Rs 72,000 a year. This, the Congress would take care of as soon as they got to power, Rahul promised.
“We should also remonetise the Indian economy. The note ban stopped you from spending your money and purchasing things. So the Indian factories stopped producing them. They started firing workers. Unemployment grew and the Indian economy has come to a halt. We need to bring it back. When the poor get the Rs 72,000, they will start buying things, factories will start producing them and people will start getting jobs again. Nyay (Nyunatam Aay Yojana) scheme – Congress’s anti-poverty scheme – will fuel the Indian economy.”
Stressing that he won’t lie with inflated figures like Modi, Rahul said the 22 lakh government jobs lying vacant today could be filled, and 10 lakh jobs given to the youth of panchayats.
Another promise he had made earlier -- of starting a ministry in Delhi for fishermen -- was reiterated. He also promised that ‘not a single farmer will be arrested for not paying a bank loan after we win 2019 elections.’
He came to the topic of faith only in the end – much relevant in Kerala when the topic of Sabarimala and the court verdict allowing women of all ages entry, had been banned for campaigns by the Election Commission. But Rahul very carefully said, “We believe in allowing people to practice their different faiths. As long as it’s done peacefully, and non-violently, we respect every faith.”