I learnt from PM how not to run govt: Rahul Gandhi

New Delhi: A day before voting for 59 seats in the penultimate phase of general election, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday alleged that the BJP, RSS and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have hatred towards his family, but he does not harbour the same feelings for the Prime Minister. He also took a dig at Mr Modi’s style of governance, saying the Prime Minister has taught him how not to run a country.

With post-poll talks on his mind, the Congress president reached out to Bahujan Samaj Party’s critical chief, Mayawati, and praised her saying, “I love and respect her contribution to the nation.”

While acknowledging that there is a political divide between the Congress and the BSP, Mr Gandhi said he regards Ms Mayawati as a “symbol” of the nation.

“She has sent a message to the country. I respect her, I love her. For political fight, the Congress party will have to fight for ideology,” Mr Gandhi said in an interview to a TV channel on the sidelines of a rally in Shujalpur in Madhya Pradesh.

Claiming that he “always learns” from people and his political rivals, Mr Gandhi said, “I have learnt from Modiji, how not to run a country. If you govern the country without listening to anybody then the country cannot function properly.”

Commenting on Mr Modi’s remarks on him and his family, Mr Gandhi said that the Prime Minister has personal hatred towards him.

“The BJP, the RSS and Mr Modi have hatred for my family and our job is to remove it. Narendra Modi attacks me. He speaks with hatred about my father, my grandmother and my great grandfather. He speaks in anger, but I go and give him a ‘jhappi’ (hug),” Mr Gandhi said.

The Congress chief’s remarks came a week after Mr Modi said at a rally that former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi “was termed ‘Mr Clean’ by his courtiers, but his life ended as ‘Bhrashtachari No. 1’ (corrupt number 1)”.

Speaking about the recent allegations of corruption levelled against Rajiv Gandhi, the Congress president said, “Narendra Modi talks about Rajiv ji, about Nehru ji, about Indira ji… I know the truth. I know my grandmother’s truth. I know it’s all lies that he is spreading. What difference does it make? It is okay if you say ‘Naamdar’.  It will be clear on May 23… It is a country that is filled with love. He’s filled with personal hatred.”

He challenged Mr Modi for an open debate on issues like corruption, demonetisation, Goods and Services Tax and farm crisis. Mr Gandhi said that there is an ideological fight between the BJP-RSS and the progressive forces in the country.

“We are fighting against the ideology that is a threat to the Constitution. Mr Modi is ignoring the intelligence of the RBI and announcing demonetisation... Wherever I go, the people of the country are saying that there is a force that is trying to control the country,” Mr Gandhi said.

Mr Gandhi also condemned party leader Sam Pitroda’s “hua toh hua” remark on 1984 anti-Sikh riots. “Whoever committed violence should be booked, punished,” Mr Gandhi said. 

Mr Pitroda had waded into a huge controversy in Himachal Pradesh recently when he said “hua toh hua”, roughly translated to “so what” on being questioned about the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

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