Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi in Chhattisgarh

Online, November 11, 2013 (Newswire.com) - Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi addressed a huge election rally in Rajnandangaon at poll bound Chhattisgarh on Friday. He slammed the ruling the BJP government in the state by calling it the world champions in corruption. "BJP is the champion of corruption; it is the world champion in corruption" he said.

Referring to the brutal massacre of top Congress leaders in the state by the Maoists in the last May, he said "I was talking about attacks on our Congress leaders. These leaders were very close to the people. But they were snatched from you. In fact, the attack was not on Congress but it was on the voice of common man". "Nandkumar Patel was going to become to the Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh. He was unstoppable. There was only one way to stop him and that was to kill him. That is what happened", further said the Congress leader.

Launching a blistering attack on the BJP government, Rahul Gandhi commented, "For the past ten years BJP has been ruling Chhattisgarh. There is no problem with this state. There is no shortage for money, resources, lands or forests. Chhattisgarh is rich but people are poor. The BJP government says it is developing the state. What development they are talking about? Are the youth here getting jobs? Are you getting proper education? The people in the govt just talk big things but people get nothing". "Our country cannot move forward until we empower the common people - this has been the vision of the Congress. BJP wants that the entire power rest with the chief minister and also those with him enjoy benefits. And then they make big speeches about ensuring people benefit,"Rahul Gandhi said.

"You know that about 6 lakh acres of lands were acquired by the BJP government here and sold it to big industrialists, but people got no benefits. I agree we need development, but the people whose lands are grabbed also must be benefitted. That is why we brought in the land bill. Not only the farmers whose lands are acquired but the labourers who work in the land also will be compensated" said the Congress Vice President. "BJP just talks big, makes hollow promises. Congress believes in action" he quipped.

"Congress is fighting this election as one. It is the party of the common people, of the poor people, of the adivasis, labourers, Dalits, women and the youth. Congress is going to form a government here" he assured.

Striking a chord with the big crowd, Rahul Gandhi continued "I want to remind you that the water, the lands and the forests here belong to you. The state belongs to you. The BJP is trying to snatch this from you, but Congress will be giving it back to you. And if you want to give your land to the industrialists, it will be your choice. No one can forcibly grab your lands without your permission".

"Nandkumar Patel was your voice. When he was killed, your voice was killed. So let us form a Congress government here to initiate the process of empowering aam aadmi, poor, adivasis and the youth," said Rahul Gandhi while concluding his speech.

The polling in Chhattisgarh is scheduled to take place in two phases, on Nov 11 and 19.

We have a BJP government here in Chhattisgarh. You must be remembering that entire Congress leadership in this state was killed by Naxals few months back. On one side BJP says it is against terrorism. But here, the entire top Congress leaders including Nandkumar Patel and Shukla ji, were brutally massacred. What did the state government do after that? The leaders of BJP talk big things on terrorism and violence, but do nothing.

Nandkumar Patel had warned that he would go to the people and make them aware of the misdeeds of the BJP government here. He was a pradhan and he was well aware of your problems. I had requested him to be cautious because of the Maoist threats. He replied to me that he is a leader of common people and not afraid of any such threats. He was determined to go to the people and ultimately he was murdered.

For the past ten years BJP has been ruling Chhattisgarh. There is no problem with this state. There is no shortage for money, resources, lands or forests. Chhattisgarh is rich but people are poor. The BJP government says it is developing the state. What development they are talking about? Are the youth here getting jobs? Are you getting proper education? The people in the govt just talk big things but people get nothing.

Even the state Chief Secretary says that minister is corrupt. Have you heard such an allegation by a Chief Secretary from any other state? This can happen only in Chhattisgarh. BJP claims it's doing well and Chhattisgarh is surging ahead. People are getting killed and Maoism is increasing but they claim progress.

BJP is the champion of corruption; it is the world champion in corruption.

The state government here ignores the women too. I was in Jammu and Kashmir yesterday. We have a coalition government there. I was interacting with some of the members of our women self-help group. We have initiated the process of connecting the women with the banks. We are in the process of empowering them. It was the power of women that transformed Andhra Pradesh. Our effort in all the states ruled by Congress is to empower the youth. You can experience yourself how women play important roles in successful implementation of MNREGA. But here in Chhattisgarh, women are forgotten.

Congress believes in empowering people, the youth and the women. We gave you RTI. What is the meaning of RTI? Any Indian can get any information about the government. This ensures transparency in administration. RTI is a powerful weapon to fight corruption and Congress made RTI possible.

We gave you right to food, right to job and right to education. We are talking about the rights of the people. We want the people to take decisions, not bureaucrats. That is why we have initiated the process of giving you rights. We brought food security for the benefit of the entire country; we want to ensure food to everyone without any discrimination.

We had started a programme to train the youth in Kashmir and in the last year we could give jobs to about 15000 youngsters. About one lakh people will be able to secure jobs in immediate future. Are any such moves happened here? Any youth could secure a job here? No; you are forced to go to Maharashtra and Bangalore (Karnataka) where Congress is in power.

We have promised in our election manifesto that we will provide opportunity for the people of Chhattisgarh to secure a job here itself. This state is rich in resources. Most importantly we will empower you. It was Congress which gave you Panchayati Raj, aiming to empower the rural masses. We implemented Tribal Bill. But you could not avail any benefits.

Our country cannot move forward until we empower the common people - this has been the vision of the Congress. BJP wants that the entire power rest with the chief minister and also those with him enjoy benefits. And then they make big speeches about ensuring people benefit. They are not bothered about the people. Your Chief Minister has been claiming that all is well in Chhattisgarh. But the reality is just opposite.

21st century India wants power in the hands of the people. The people must have the right to job, right to information, right to education and right to food. This is Congress' policy but BJP is against this. This is the difference between us.

BJP keeps on asking what Congress govt has done in the past 9 years. But they keep mum when CRPF jawans are killed and top Congress leaders are massacred here. BJP just washes their hands off.

We implemented MNREGA to guarantee jobs to the rural poor. Our Food Security bill is aiming at ensuring food to all. We gave you Land Acquisition Bill.

You know that about 6 lakh acres of lands were acquired by the BJP government here and sold it to big industrialists, but people got no benefits. I agree we need development, but the people whose lands are grabbed also must be benefitted. That is why we brought in the land bill. Not only the farmers whose lands are acquired but the labourers who work in the land also will be compensated.

BJP just talks big, makes hollow promises. Congress believes in action.

Congress is fighting this election as one. It is the party of the common people, of the poor people, of the adivasis, labourers, Dalits, women and the youth. Congress is going to form a government here.

I want to remind you that the water, the lands and the forests here belong to you. The state belongs to you. The BJP people trying to snatch this from you, but Congress will be giving it back to you. And if you want to give your land to the industrialists, it will be your choice. No one can forcibly grab your lands without your permission.

Now I appeal to all Congress workers to go door to door and ask people to vote for Congress. Convince people to cast their votes on 'hand' so that we can form a government of aam aadmi here.

I was talking about attacks on our Congress leaders. These leaders were very close to the people. But they were snatched from you. In fact, the attack was not on Congress but it was on the voice of common man. Nandkumar Patel was going to become to the Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh. He was unstoppable. There was only one way to stop him and that was to kill him. That is what happened.

Nandkumar Patel was your voice. When he was killed, your voice was killed. So let us form a Congress government here to initiate the process of empowering aam aadmi, poor, adivasis and the youth.

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Thank you.