Kochi: Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Monday asserted the RSS and the BJP were trying to impose a “culture of silence” in the country so that people have no voice.
He also said that the Congress was fighting a political battle in the state, while at the same time it was waging an ideological battle at the national level against the ideology of the RSS and the BJP.
Addressing newly elected members of gram, block and district panchayats, municipalities and municipal corporations here, Rahul Gandhi congratulated them and said they were duty-bound to protect the Constitution at the grassroots level.
He pointed out that panchayats and other local bodies formed the foundation of the three-tier system of democracy.
“If we want to protect the Constitution and ensure that it survives, we have to protect the third tier, that is panchayats and other local bodies,” he said, adding that the idea behind the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments, which empowered local bodies belongs to the Congress.
Asserting that there was a clear difference between the RSS-BJP and the Congress, he said while the former believed in centralisation, the Congress believed in decentralisation. He also said that the RSS and the BJP want blind compliance from the people of India and they do not want to hear their voices.
Referring to his conversation with noted writer Dr Leelavathy after presenting her with the Priyadarshini Literary Award, Rahul Gandhi said she had spoken about the growing culture of silence and how it was spreading across the country.
He said the ideological agenda of the RSS-BJP was designed to create such a culture.
“They want India to remain silent and not express itself because they want to deliver all the wealth of India to a few select businessmen,” he said, adding that this would be possible only if the democratic voice of the people was silenced.
He, however, asserted that nobody could silence the voice of the people of Kerala. Expressing confidence that the UDF would win the forthcoming Assembly elections in the state, the Gandhi scion said the next government would need to focus on providing jobs and opportunities to the youth.
He said he was proud of the achievements of people from Kerala across the world. He also said that the UDF government would create an atmosphere in which the youth of Kerala could achieve similar success within the state.
Recalling his long association with Kerala as an MP, the former Wayanad MP, who now represents Rae Bareli in Parliament, Rahul Gandhi said he had learnt a great deal from the people of the state.
“I am telling you with all humility that I have learnt tremendously from the people of Kerala. Your history, tradition, language and political depth, and most importantly, your ability to stand together despite differences in religion and culture, have shown me how this is done,” he said.