Want to Hug PM Modi When He Abuses Me: Rahul Gandhi in Odisha

Rahul Gandhi added that while he disagreed with the prime minister, he did not hate him.

Rahul Gandhi in Odisha.

(Photo Courtesy: Twitter/@INCIndia)

Addressing a Town Hall in Odisha’s Bhubaneshwar, Congress President Rahul Gandhi slammed the ruling BJP, saying that India should be run by its 1.2 billion people and not by an ideology.

Gandhi claimed that the basic difference between the Congress and BJP was that his party would take feedback.

“Ours is a dynamic process, we listen to the people. Not like Narendra Modi who thinks he knows everything and there is no scope of feedback. This is the basic difference between us and BJP.”

Rahul Gandhi, Congress President.

“The best thing that happened to me as a politician and human being was the abuse I got from BJP & RSS. It has been the biggest gift they could give me. I look at Modi when he abuses me and I feel like giving him a hug.”

Rahul Gandhi, Congress President.

‘Disagree With PM Modi, Do Not Hate Him’

Gandhi added that while he disagreed with the prime minister, he did not hate him.

“I realise he (PM Modi) disagrees with me and I disagree with him, and I will fight him and I will try and make sure that he is not the prime minister. But I don’t hate him. I give him the right to have his opinion.”

Rahul Gandhi, Congress President

‘Cong Respects Key Institutions’

He also accused the RSS of believing that they should be the “only” institution in the country and it was “trying to penetrate” all the others in the country.

“Our party has a different view on how key institutions should be supporting the country. It respects decentralisation, independence of institutions and constitutional advances,” he asserted.

‘We Must Compete With China’

The Congress scion asserted that India must compete with China and accept that the biggest challenge of the competition is the latter’s ability to create jobs.

“Why is automation not having impact on job creation in China? When I went to Kailash Mansarovar, I met a couple of their ministers who said job creation is not a problem.”

Rahul Gandhi, Congress President

(With inputs from ANI, PTI.)