One rank, one pension decision taken from heart: Rahul Gandhi

In an address to the ex-servicemen of defence forces on Monday, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi said the decision to give them one rank, one pension was taken from the heart.

In an address to the ex-servicemen of defence forces on Monday, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi said the decision to give them one rank, one pension was taken from the heart.

Rahul, who reached the venue half an hour late, was accompanied by Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and PPCC president Partap Singh Bajwa among others.

Rahul’s statement comes a day after BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi accused the congress of repeatedly deceiving ex-servicemen on the emotive issue.

Speaking about bravery shown by Indian soldiers, he said “Both at the border and in case of a national calamity such as the Uttarakhand floods, our soldiers fulfill their duty by giving sweat, blood and heart to the country.”

Rahul reminded the ex-servicemen that they should rather thank Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi for the decision. “My contribution is very little,” he said.

‘Farmers will be empowered’

He said this at the ‘Kisan Sansad’ programme, before inaugurating the international horticulture fruit and vegetable terminal market.