Rahul says 1984 and 2002 riots had ‘huge difference’
28 Jan 2014 5:56 AM IST
‘Gujarat (riots) happened, people died, Modi was the CM,’ said Gandhi. Gandhi added that 1984 anti-Sikh riots were different from the 2002 Gujarat pogrom, while admitting that ‘some Congress men were probably involved.’
Gandhi also said during the interview that he ‘respected’ the process of choosing the PM nominee and that it would be done by the elected members after the Lok Sabha polls. ‘The system chooses MPs, MPs choose the PM,’ Gandhi said, adding he was prepared to take any responsibility given by the party. Gandhi said: ‘Democracy is about respecting the process.’ Asked if he is scared to take on Modi, the Congress V-P said, ‘Democracy is not about destroying processes.’ On avoiding a direct faceoff with Modi, he said: ‘I’ve seen my grandmother and father die, I’m not scared of anything.’
Rahul added, ‘Like Arjun from Mahabharat, I see only one thing: changing the system.’ However, Modi, according to him, is ‘blind to everything else.’
‘I think we will defeat the BJP in the next elections,’ he said, criticising the Opposition for concentrating all its power in Modi’s hands. Gandhi said he ‘fundamentally disagrees with that.’ ‘I believe in opening up the system. I believe in the RTI, I believe in giving power to our people,’ he added.
Batting for the UPA’s flagship schemes, Rahul said, ‘Our political party is fighting an ideological battle against the BJP. Our party believes that women should be empowered, democracy should go to every house, that RTI, and the MNREGA paradigm should be further expanded. The BJP believes power should be extremely concentrated in this country, few people should run this country and the large mass of this country should have no voice.’
Gandhi also said during the interview that he ‘respected’ the process of choosing the PM nominee and that it would be done by the elected members after the Lok Sabha polls. ‘The system chooses MPs, MPs choose the PM,’ Gandhi said, adding he was prepared to take any responsibility given by the party. Gandhi said: ‘Democracy is about respecting the process.’ Asked if he is scared to take on Modi, the Congress V-P said, ‘Democracy is not about destroying processes.’ On avoiding a direct faceoff with Modi, he said: ‘I’ve seen my grandmother and father die, I’m not scared of anything.’
Rahul added, ‘Like Arjun from Mahabharat, I see only one thing: changing the system.’ However, Modi, according to him, is ‘blind to everything else.’
‘I think we will defeat the BJP in the next elections,’ he said, criticising the Opposition for concentrating all its power in Modi’s hands. Gandhi said he ‘fundamentally disagrees with that.’ ‘I believe in opening up the system. I believe in the RTI, I believe in giving power to our people,’ he added.
Batting for the UPA’s flagship schemes, Rahul said, ‘Our political party is fighting an ideological battle against the BJP. Our party believes that women should be empowered, democracy should go to every house, that RTI, and the MNREGA paradigm should be further expanded. The BJP believes power should be extremely concentrated in this country, few people should run this country and the large mass of this country should have no voice.’
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