Continuing his attack on the Centre, Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said the Congress is defending is the onslaught on the Indian constitution. He added the opposition have agreed if they win the 2019 elections the first priority will be to stop the spreading of poison. He said, "What we're defending is the onslaught on the Indian constitution. I and the entire opposition have agreed, that our first priority is to stop the poison being spread."
Addressing the London School of Economics (LSE) in London, Rahul said the 2019 Lok Sabha election will be straightforward as it'll be the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) versus every opposition party since the first time Indian institutions are under attack. "Next election is pretty straightforward. On one side there is BJP and on the other side, there is every opposition party. The reason is, for the first time, Indian institutions are under attack," said Rahul.
Speaking on the minorities of the country, Rahul said, "I do not agree with a separate country for minorities. If you look at the history of India for the last 70 years, you would understand that more minorities are able to move forward."
He added as development in India has taken place through the sacrifice of all its citizens the benefit, too, must go to all Indians. "No community should feel like they don't have a voice," said the Congress President.
Taking a jibe at the BJP, Rahul said, "You don't learn by being right. You learn by being wrong."
Reiterating its stand on violence, Rahul said that the essence of Congress' ideology is non-violence. He added that as a victim of violence, he condemns any form of violence on anyone. "I'm crystal clear about that," he added.
"I used to think, simply by transforming India economically, casteism will be eradicated. I don't hold that view anymore," said Rahul Gandhi.
Rahul said India was facing a "full-blown crisis" of unemployment and the Government was refusing to admit it. "The jobs crisis can be addressed, but India has to first accept that there is a problem," said Gandhi during an interaction programme. He said that there is a "full-blown job crisis" in India and the Indian Government is in denial".
Comparing China with India, he said, "Where China creates 50,000 jobs a day, only 450 jobs are created in a day in India. This is a catastrophe."
During the occasion, the 48-year-old leader said that India has a bigger role to play for the world as the nation is more refined now. "We can't afford to have wars that have been happening for the last many years. Conflict is already operating. We can see Western Europe, China and other countries changing. We, India, have a role to play," said Gandhi.
"Now India is much big and refined. India has its own vision and has a role to play for the world," he said.
"As a victim of violence, I condemn any form of violence on anyone. I'm crystal clear about that," he said referring to the assassination of his father Rajiv Gandhi and grandmother Indira Gandhi. He said that the degree of violence he witnessed in his life has made him more compassionate.
Gandhi said he felt sad when he saw the pictures of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam chief Velupillai Prabhakaran's body at a beach in Sri Lanka's Jaffna. Prabhakaran, who was responsible for the killing of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, was shot dead by Sri Lankan troops in 2009.
