Sulthan Bathery, Wayanad: Rahul Gandhi played the perfect politician donning the dual roles of Congress party supremo and UDF candidate in Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency as he addressed a mammoth meeting here on Wednesday.
Speaking to thousands of UDF workers, mostly a mix of Congress and Muslim League followers, Rahul struck the right chord, talking about national and local issues.
Received with euphoric sloganeering and applause by the crowd, comprising men and women in equal numbers, Rahul started his speech around 12 noon attacking the ideology of RSS. He said while travelling across south India, he was asked by many that why does the RSS want to impose its ideology all over the country.
Projecting himself as a leader who represents the whole country, Rahul said south India is as important as any other part of the country. “Your voice is no less important than anybody else's. Your language is no less important than anybody else's. Your feelings are no less important than anybody else's,” Rahul told a cheering crowd.
Why Wayanad
On his candidature in Wayanad, which has drawn sharp criticism from Left front as well as the BJP, Rahul said when he decided to contest from south India also, he found Wayanad as the best choice. “Wayanad represents different cultures. Almost all communities live here peacefully,” he said. Rahul, notably, did not mention top BJP leaders' criticism that he fled Amethi to contest in a place where the minority is in majority, referring to the high population of Muslims and Christians in the constituency.
Rahul was all praise for Kerala when he said the state “is an example of peaceful coexistence.” “I don't say this lightly. There is a lot the rest of the country can learn from Kerala. You respect others' ideas as much as you value yours. You do not believe in violence,” he said. Though Rahul might have wanted to make a comparison between the state from where he contests and the several states where the BJP is in power, his praise of Kerala as a peaceful state in a way contradicts his party's allegations of political violence against the ruling CPM in the state. Notably Rahul kept his word that he would not speak anything against the CPM no matter how much they attack him.
Personal touch
Thrice in his speech, Rahul reiterated that he came to Wayanad not as a politician, but as a son, brother and friend of its people. “I have come not to tell you my 'mann ki baat'. I have come to know what's in your heart,” he said, taking a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's radio programme 'Mann ki Baat'.
Local issues
Rahul mentioned the night travel ban and lack of medical facilities, two major issues faced by the people of Wayanad. He also said he understood that there is a problem of man-animal conflict in the region.
“I'm aware of the travel ban here. I know the difficulties it causes. I'm committed to resolve it,” he told the cheering crowd.
Wayanad or Amethi?
Though no one asked, everybody wanted to know whether Rahul would retain Wayanad seat if he is elected from both Amethi and Wayanad. To this Rahul gave a sophisticated answer, without revealing his actual plans. "I want the sisters of Wayanad to say that I'm like their brother. I want the mothers and fathers to say that I'm like their son. And that kind of relationship cannot be built on lies. It has to be built on truth," he said.
People from various parts of the constituency, including some from tribal belts, attended the event. Former Kerala chief minister Oommen Chandy also spoke. Kerala Congress (M) working chairman and senior UDF leader P J Jospeh sang a few lines that hailed Rahul as a true leader of the masses.
Earlier in the day, Rahul visited the Thirunelli temple and performed the 'balitharpan' for his late father Rajiv Gandhi, whose ashes were immersed in the famous papanasam stream there.
Rahul is slated to address a few more rallies in the constituency on Tuesday, the only day he is scheduled to campaign in this LS segment.
Earlier in Kannur, Gandhi flayed Modi for wreaking the Indian economy and agriculture. Targeting BJP and the central government, he dubbed any bid to divide nation as well as reckless policies that vitiate unemployment as "antinational" activities.
Asked about BJP’s charge that Congress is siding with anti-nationals, Rahul said his party was the biggest victim of anti-nationals while referring to terrorism in Punjab in decades ago. "Thousands of Congress members had lost lives then," he said, while adding "It is anti-national to divide nation on several levels, render 27,000 youth jobless every day, spent funds meant for farmers to something else and plunder taxpayers’ money.
"People know who does all that. Narendra Modi should answer for it. Why is Modi not facing media like I do?"
Rahul refrained from answering questions on a notice served on him on Rafale deal saying it was sub judice.
Slams political violence
The Congress chief denounced political violence, which is a major issue in the state as highlighted by the brutal murder of two Youth Congress workers allegedly by CPM activists at Kallyot in Kasaragod in February.
"All kinds of attacks should be condemned. Weak parties resort to violence. Congress is a strong party that does not believe in political violence or killings," Rahul stated.
Rahul meets Sreedhanya
Rahul Gandhi also met Sreedhanya Suresh, the first tribal woman from Kerala to clear the All India civil services exams, and was all praise for her.
He met her at the guest house at Sulthan Bathery at Wayanad and had lunch with her.
Hailing from a poor background in Wayanad, Sreedhanya had bagged the 410th rank in the Civil Services Examination, 2018.
"She is self confident and a woman who confronted adversities," Gandhi said.