Working on joint Opposition front to counter RSS, Modi: Rahul Gandhi

Tribune News Service

Aditi Tandon

New Delhi, April 8

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday said discussions were under way on forming a united Opposition front to counter the BJP and RSS and urged all non-BJP forces to come together.

Speaking to reporters after meeting senior Opposition leader Sharad Yadav, whose party recently merged with the RJD in Bihar, Gandhi said, “All parties opposed to the RSS and Prime Minister Narendra Modi should come together. The framework of such a joint Opposition front is being discussed and there is a need to develop it.”

Picking holes in the government's economic management strategy, Gandhi drew parallels between the Indian condition and the economic catastrophe Sri Lanka is witnessing.

“Any country can only temporarily escape or bury the reality. In a modern democracy, the media is the tool to escape the truth. But when the impact of rising prices hits people's lives and livelihoods, the media is unable to hide the truth. Gradually, the reality of India, which the media had hidden, will come out. That is what has happened in Sri Lanka. In Sri Lanka, the truth has surfaced. In India also, the truth will surface. The difference is India has also been divided deeply. Groups have been formed. Earlier, we were one country. Now, there are many countries in one. So when the pain comes out, there will be violence. Don’t trust me today but in two to three years, this will happen,” Gandhi said.

He was responding to questions on the issue of rising prices and joblessness.

The former Congress chief, who was backed by Sharad Yadav to take over as party president again, also said that the BJP today has the control of the “loud speaker”, and “therefore the public mandate.”

Asked about the BJP saying that the Opposition lacks people's mandate, Gandhi said, “That is because there is 100 per cent dominance of instruments of communication in this country. Media is 100 per cent controller. The CBI, ED suppress other institutions block the conversation. Loud speaker is in government control. Previously, the loud speaker would sometimes be under the control of the Congress, sometimes the SP. Today the loud speaker is in RSS-BJP control.”

Gandhi said the country’s economy could not be strengthened in an atmosphere of hate.

“Today hate is being propagated and the nation is being divided. We have to re-establish harmony. Economy of a country which lacks peace and harmony can never be strong,” said Gandhi.

He said the economic and job situation of India would become unimaginable in the next three to four years because "spinal cord of the economy -- small and medium businesses -- have been destroyed."

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