Will make Congress a 'grand old and young' party: Rahul Gandhi
ET Bureau|
Updated: Dec 17, 2017, 12.20 AM IST
Rahul Gandhi on Saturday took over as the president of the Congress with a frontal attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP while calling upon party workers, especially the youth, to stand up to the challenge "the BJP rule is posing to the country and the party".
The change-of-guard ceremony at 24 Akbar Road saw outgoing party president Sonia Gandhi making her farewell address with a vow that "the Congress shall never back off" from confronting the "present challenges" and asserting that the BJP's "personal attacks on Rahul has only made him a more stronger, determined and humane person".
Rahul said, "The Congress took India to 21st century, but the Prime Minister is taking us back to medieval times. The BJP spreads hatred, we spread love; they divide, we unite, they spread anger and we spread harmony."
He added, "We are now being compelled to imagine that businesses can be built without harmony, that only one man is the voice of reason. Expertise, experience and knowledge can be cast aside for personal glory. Politics belongs to the people, but today politics is not being used for people. It is not being used to uplift people, but to crush them. Today, politics is devoid of kindness and truth." He added: "We are going to make Congress grand old and young party."
About the BJP's attack on Rahul, Sonia said, "Rahul is my son, it's not right for me to praise him. But Rahul has seen the horror of violence since his childhood. After he joined politics, he has been subjected to the worst kind of personal attack. It has only made him a stronger, determined and humane person."
Former PM Manmohan Singh praised the leadership Sonia provided to the Congress and the support she extended to him. "Rahulji is taking over as president when there are certain disturbing trends noticeable in politics. There are signs of the politics of fear taking over politics of hope," he said.
The change-of-guard ceremony at 24 Akbar Road saw outgoing party president Sonia Gandhi making her farewell address with a vow that "the Congress shall never back off" from confronting the "present challenges" and asserting that the BJP's "personal attacks on Rahul has only made him a more stronger, determined and humane person".
Rahul said, "The Congress took India to 21st century, but the Prime Minister is taking us back to medieval times. The BJP spreads hatred, we spread love; they divide, we unite, they spread anger and we spread harmony."
He added, "We are now being compelled to imagine that businesses can be built without harmony, that only one man is the voice of reason. Expertise, experience and knowledge can be cast aside for personal glory. Politics belongs to the people, but today politics is not being used for people. It is not being used to uplift people, but to crush them. Today, politics is devoid of kindness and truth." He added: "We are going to make Congress grand old and young party."
About the BJP's attack on Rahul, Sonia said, "Rahul is my son, it's not right for me to praise him. But Rahul has seen the horror of violence since his childhood. After he joined politics, he has been subjected to the worst kind of personal attack. It has only made him a stronger, determined and humane person."
Former PM Manmohan Singh praised the leadership Sonia provided to the Congress and the support she extended to him. "Rahulji is taking over as president when there are certain disturbing trends noticeable in politics. There are signs of the politics of fear taking over politics of hope," he said.
