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Rahul Gandhi says 'PM doesn't listen'; slams BJP, RSS with 'Sone ki Chidiya' dig

At the ‘Ideas for India’ conference in London, Rahul Gandhi slammed the ruling BJP government. 

Published on: May 21, 2022, 10:40:13 IST
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India can’t become a country that’s not allowed to speak, Rahul Gandhi said on Friday as he stepped up his offensive against the central government while also targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “The Prime Minister must have an attitude that 'I want to listen'. And from there everything flows down. But our Prime Minister doesn't listen. You can’t have a country that’s not allowed to speak… and a PMO that can’t speak freely,” the ex-Congress chief said at the ‘Ideas for India’ conference in London.

Rahul Gandhi while speaking at the ‘Ideas for India’ conclave in London.  ((Twitter) )
Rahul Gandhi while speaking at the ‘Ideas for India’ conclave in London.  ((Twitter) )

During the discussion, he also did not leave an opportunity to train guns on the BJP and the RSS. “We believe India is a negotiation between its people; The BJP and the RSS believe India is a geography; That it is a 'Sone Ki Chidiya' whose benefits should be distributed to a few, according to the Karma, We believe everyone should have equal access - whether you are a Dalit, Brahmin. That’s the real conflict,” the 51-year-old leader said.

The Indian democracy is a “central anchor” for the planet, Gandhi further said during the London event. “Democracy in India is a global public good. It is a central anchor for the planet. Because we are the only people who have managed democracy at the scale that we have. If that cracks, it is going to cause a problem for the planet. And that’s what the United States is realising,” Gandhi said.

“What is happening today is that there is a systematic attack on the institutions that allow conversations to take place. There is an attack on the Constitution; The result is the states of India are longer able to negotiate,” he added, in an attack on the ruling government.

His remarks at the London conference - which are likely to trigger the BJP’s furore - come a week after the Congress wrapped up its three-day mega conclave in Rajasthan’s Udaipur with an eye on the 2024 polls.

  • Swati Bhasin
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    Swati Bhasin

    A newsroom junkie with 11+ years of experience with print and online publications; travel and books are the soup for the soul.

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