RAHUL Gandhi Calls For PIO’s Cooperation In His Fight Against PM Modi Saying BJP Govt Is Destroying Pluralistic Indian Society

CONGRESS President Rahul Gandhi, who is projecting himself as Prime Ministerial candidate against incumbent PM Narendra Modi in 2019 parliamentary elections, mounted a scathing attack on his political opponent in Singapore while addressing students and teachers. He accused the NDA Government headed by Modi of creating a general atmosphere of intimidation in India ,trying to destroy democratically elected institutions and muzzling voice of dissent .PM Modi has initiated what he says an extremely nasty form of politics and  reasserted that he will  “we will defeat him in the next election. We will fight this nasty form of politics. We will defeat him in the next election. Very soon you will see India where everybody is loved,” he told those who heard him at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy. He was answering a question on status of minorities while speaking on `India at 70′. He said “We do not like an India where people are persecuted for what they eat, drink, wear, or think”. Where we are running into trouble now is in the levels of violence that we are seeing in the country,” Gandhi said adding he is for plurality and freedom. This is under threat and hate and anger are being used by some as a tool for dividing people and winning elections. His political party is pledged to a pluralistic society, he added. The supremo of India’s oldest political party, which had ruled the country for over five decades facing challenge from the surging NDA, is visiting Singapore and Malaysia as part of his attempts to reach out to the Indian diaspora.Referrening to Mahatma Gandhi, the Congress President said   Gandhi said: “I feel no animosity towards anyone who opposes me. This is what makes me different from PM Modi.” He was also critical of the Modi government saying it has failed to create job opportunities in the country. India had made tremendous progress since Independence under Congress regime with the cooperation of the people saying the BJP-led government’s policies and decisions on Jammu and Kashmir have worsened the situation in the sensitive border state.”In 2014 when I went there I felt like crying. I saw what a bad political decision can do to years and years of policy-making,” Gandhi said. The Congress headed UPA government had succeeded in building bridges with the people and it worked to a plan for nine years. He termed the BJP’s foreign policy as tactical and episodic rather than strategic. On China, he said India has to have a peaceful and co-operative relationship with the neighbouring country. Answering queries, he said the real magic in India can take place in the healthcare sector. Gandhi said he did not buy the idea that India can’t challenge and compete with China in manufacturing. “India can really get aggressive in the manufacturing space because technology is actually an enabler. I see a tremendous opportunity coming for India with 4th generation manufacturing,” he said. Replying to a query on International Women’s Day related to the pending Women’s Reservation Bill, Gandhi said the Congress had sought to pass it but it was opposed by other parties. “I think not having women play a role in politics is a tragedy,” he said, adding that the foundation of women’s empowerment in politics was laid with the Panchayat Raj institutions. Gandhi earlier met Indian-origin CEOs of companies in Singapore and discussed jobs, investments and the prevalent economic conditions. Apparently referring to the alleged 2G spectrum scam in which the BJP had consistently targeted the previous UPA government, Gandhi said the system was destabilised between 2012 and 2014.”We faced a storm in 2012. Between 2012 and 2014 the system was destabilised and we saw the consequences. We have a clean slate now, and a new opportunity. We will present you with a new Congress party that envisions the values you were born with,” he said. The Congress leader also paid homage to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and interacted with the people associated with the Indian Association. Significantly, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose had announced establishment of the provisional government of Azad Hind in Singapore in 1943.Azad Hind Radio also functioned from there .Netaji had appealed to Mahatma Gandhi to support his INA for liberation of India over the Azad Hind Radio .But Gandhiji and the Congress leaders including Jawaharlal Nehru, Rahul’s great grandfather, who later became PM, rejected his passionate appeal.