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"Now I would refuse," he said at a press conference in Kolkata flanked by External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee on being asked whether he was prepared to accept Prime Ministership in the near future.
He went on to explain that this was because of two reasons. "One is that I am working in the organisation of the Congress party which I think is fundamental for this country. I think it is very important that a strong, progressive, pro-poor youth organisation is developed in this country and that is a very, very big priority of mine.”
"Number two is I don't think I have the experience to be the prime minister of the country right now," said 39-year-old Gandhi, who has batted strongly for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh continuing in the post if the UPA returns to power.
During the nearly hour-long press meet, Gandhi responded to a volley of questions ranging from the situation in Sri Lanka to the Left Front government performance in West Bengal.
"Chahe mera naam Gandhi ho ... kuch or ho ... mere principles, mere kam, mera jo feelings hai, wo ek hai (Irrespective of what my name or family is, my principles and work ethic remains the same). Aap mujhe Gandhi dekte hai, what can I do? I can't change my family. There is nothing I can do about it?" he said.
When pointed out that his family was still in the shadow of the Bofors controversy and 1984 anti-Sikh riots with critics saying that he stood on a pile of rubbish and asked whether he was prepared to apologise, Gandhi said, "There's absolutely nothing that I have to apologise about Bofors."
"I don't appreciate the terminology that you stand on a pile of rubbish. That's not the right word usage." On Bofors issue, he said, "It's a complete lie. It is a calumny being used by the opposition for 20 years."
To a question on LTTE and demand for extradition of its chief V Prabhakaran, Gandhi said "LTTE is branded as a terrorist organisation. The LTTE personally is responsible for killing my father and so I am not personally a very big supporter of LTTE."
However, he maintained that the rights of the innocent Tamil people need to protected. "They are not to be touched. When it comes to protecting the rights of the Tamil civilians in Sri Lanka I am absolutely certain that it is of prime importance. There are Tamil civilians in Sri Lanka who are suffering because of the war taking place there, It is our duty to reduce that suffering. The government has tried earlier by putting pressure and has now sent two officials (National Security Advisor M K Narayanan and Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon).”
"We are very concerned about the plight of Tamil civilians. We are going to do everything to reduce their suffering."
On the demolition of the Babri Masjid, Gandhi said "Babri Masjid was broken by the politics of BJP and politics of division."
When told that he was attacking the Left when the Prime Minister has said that he was open for an alliance with in the post poll scenario, Gandhi said, "I am not attacking the Left, right, left and centre.”
Asked whether the Congress was keeping its doors ajar for a post-poll understanding with the Left parties, Gandhi said that its was open to anyone who wants to join it.
"I am nobody to keep the doors open for anybody. I think that there are senior members of the Congress party. There is the Congress president, there is the prime minister. I am a campaigner. I would not be able to tell you whether we are keeping the door open or closed. As a general principle, the door is open for anyone who wants to join us," he said.
Persisting with its attack on the Left Front government over the implementation of the Centre's flagship National Rural Employment Guarantee scheme, he said "I am questioning the pro-poor record of the CPI(M) here.”
He said his perception was that Uttar Pradesh and Bihar were the worst states in the implementation of such programmes, but "I was shocked by what I saw in West Bengal.
"I am pointing out at the tremendous amount of wastage that is taking place. I am pointing out places where we have sent hundreds of crores of rupees for housing and fifty per cent of the money has not been used."
Gandhi said, "if after the elections we end up joining each other, it does not change the reality that the Left Front government, in my eyes, is not helping the poor."
He said he was shocked to see that the benefits of the pro-poor scheme were not reaching the people in districts like Purulia.
"My view is that the communist parties have to focus on the poor. That is a positive thing. I don't see that focus here... There is no difference between Purulia and Kalanhandi in Orissa and Bundelkhand in UP."
Asked about his view of the state government's handling of Nandigram, where the agitation over land led to the death of 14 persons in police firing in 2007, Gandhi said "there is need for a balance between growth, on one hand, and the rights of the people who are harmed, as a result of the growth.
"Nandigram is a place where the balance is mismanaged. If the government is insensitive and does not go case by case problems come. This will occur more and more."
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We are waiting for Rahul Gandhi to be the PM... The most righteous & true man to be the leader of Modern India, Visionary & most apt for the nation !
A chimp like u will not be ready to be a PM even after next 39 years.
I have not seen such a humble and hard working person like Rahul in Indian politics. Don't go on party BJP?Congress but choose the right candidate like RG for the PM post. Advani, Modi and other congress laders cant beat Rahul Gandhi. He is the best!!
Can we forget Sonia denying her entry into Indian politics? Can dear Renuka Chaudhary’s tear drops on the occasion of Sonia’s withdrawal from the premiership in 2004, be wiped out from our memory? But this soft approach of modest denial has always been in ‘their’ blood. Can we forget that other Roman- Mark Antony, assuring the Shakespearian spectators that Julius did THRICE renounce the crown before his anointment as the Caesar? Have we lost the track of the Caesar’s compatriot, Antonia Maino-Gandhi’s noble gesture of renouncing the crown yet saving the head behind the Manmohan Mukhouta? Rahul should have no worry though. In the fifties, the Indians used to believe that even if a mere stone were to be given a ticket by the Congress; Nehru’s magical powers would get it elected.We must, however, raise our caps in admiration to the talents of Antonia’s saviour Ahmed Patel. Look at the way; he has proved his expertise in smartly coaching Indira’s heirs for the purpose of press conferences. Rahul was cautioned to dodge the question on the Bofors saga by saying that it was a calumny being used by the opposition for the last twenty years. Sadly, he wasn’t briefed on what to say on the flight of the family friend Quatrochi. He lamented that the benefits of the pro-poor schemes hardly ever reached the poor in Purulia. What a pity, it didn’t occur to the young man with the vision to distribute his crores amongst them. (concluded)
Rahul's statement also implies that when he is ready the PM post should be reserved for him.He also believes that country's highest post is Indira gandhi family's birth right.How do they get this idea in a democracy? because of sycophants in the congress party.Its time indian public wakes up to thier right to elect a PM who they think desrves the post
Not so long ago, until Indira Gandhi had, in abrogation of the Constitution, demolished the hierarchical structure of the erstwhile Maharajas; the Hindus – secular or otherwise - used to pray to Durga Mata for the riches to last for seven generations. It seems that only an Indo-Roman Parsiko-Catholic family has preserved the age-old Hindu tradition to this date.Well, after Motilal, Jawahar, Indira, Sanjay-Rajiv and Priyanka-Rahul-Varun; the democracy-loving Hindus won’t have to wait for long. Only yesterday (24th April), Priyanka Vadra has disclosed to NDTV 24x7 that she was already training her children by getting them used to the sycophant mob. Once Rahul’s or Priyanka’s grand-children are propped –up on the throne by Pranab, Kapil, Abhishek
Its very correct what he says, he can aspire to be PM only after he has cleared all obstacles and competitors like done by parents, After all its Delhi politics at its best since 1600s. Why did charismatic leaders like Madhavrao Scindia, Rajesh Pilot etc die accidental deaths? Why was NarsimhaRao sidelined? Why did Sitaram Kesri die ?
rahul the days of electing p.m based on power and slavery is gone, india is new, dont talk like a parrot and hoodwink ,because your mother,sister and you are ambitios, some steretyped, journalists, who have no background about india, ask you questions, you want to show the indians that you are diplomatic, the way your mother and manmohan are apeaking next 100 years your family will have fool people,moghuls fooled , british fooled, nehru fooled, indira fooled, sonia you cannot fool ,yesonce the elections are over manmohan will retire,congress slaves like our old rajas will sing in chorus,please resign from politics and do what you love to do ,it should be your dream not your mothers and gandhi family
i would prefer bjp and muslims both open their hearts, and understand each other for the sake of india,if i look from the eyes of bjp muslims have not divided india, rather our own forces particularly casteist,is the cause, still country formed on religious basis is totally divided without ideology,if i look from the eyes of muslims bjp is not a communal party because they are fighting for bharath matha, which muslims are not against ,so instead of suspectingeach other if they can see with love and peace,it will defeat the casteist and communal paritieswhich are competing for power,for any party or individual his/her purpose be the dream in the interest of all sections,i can see muslims and bjp coming together,as told by a muslim in gujarath it is development which matters, like education,nutirtion,power,roads,infrastructure,it jobs and transparent leadership not exploiters,
Mr Rahul, neither the people are ready to accept you.Better you and Sonia go to Itali and become PM there.
A PM CAN BE AN IDIOT BUT AN IDIOT CANNOT BE A PM
Rahul Gandhi wants to come to the forefront of Indian politics through hard work and by modernizing the only political outfit with a national charter.How wrong can this be. Reading to some of the comments, one would think that in India only naive or bigoted individuals choose to express their views.BJP is a shadow national party with shadow PM's and shadow FM's and their present and future will always remain in the shadows.
Instead of saying we are going to do this and that for poor and so on.. why is polical parties not mentioning the plan and the investment they would source from.. its been high time that there is transperancy on the activities.. lets host the page with all the activities party plan to do and the areas, the budget, who's responsible, and also the beneficiary name what they received. the source of allocation etc.. also the timeline for completion of the said proposal.. Try to work on Corporate Governance.there are more to mention but is not the right forum as am not sure whether it reaches the persons/implementors.
Hey just chill out n think for the nation like japanese 0r chinese, in japan or china the first religion is country n then some thing else. But in india the first religion of politicians is Kursi,then power
Award Rupee One for Rahul for the best joke of the day.,Still Indian people are not so MAD to make a Joker as prime minister
Thank God!!!!!.India is safe now.It will be more safe if NEHRU-GANDHI-VADERA also gives up her PM ambitions.
rahul u will become pm . best of luck
This man does not know what are the eligibilities to become PM. It looks as if the young TATA or Ambanis issue statement about their becoming the next Chairman of the croporate house. Where are those congressmen, who sacrificed for the congress? Where are the kith and kin of those great freedom fighters? Are they not eligible to take the mantle of Congress? Why only the grand children of Nehru have the eligibility? This is real pathetic situation. There should be a re-thinking among congressmen and they should form the real national congress as early as possible, without leaving the party to be experimented by Mother, Son and Daughter !!. And mind it, Vadhera will be another Zardari one day !!.
oh yeh even I am not ready yet for PM.
It is sad to know that no intelligent or professional guys would like to get into politics. its so dirty. We all have to suffer these holligens and what all-- through out our life time. Well, Rahul atleast is young and progressive thinking unlike the cummunals and the Oldies.
We dont care for what ur types think. Islamic facists and evangalists will be defeated this election.
Rahul please correct your statement as "I'm not fit to be PM" instead of "I'm not ready to be PM", because PM post or 100years old congress party is not a house hold item of Sonia's Kitchen. You should be ashamed to make this kind of statments, it seems at present all congressmen are sold out to Sonia.
RAHUL AS PM. PRIYANKA AS DEPUTY PM. SONIA AS PRESIDENT. VADHERA AS VICE PRESIDENT. CHAPRASI NO. 1 -- MANMOHAN, CHAPRASI NO. 2 -- PRANAB BANGALI, STORY IS COMPLETED. JAI HO. JAI HO
It is purely Grapes are sour case.
Rahul, if you really want to see this country progress, just stay at home alongwith your mother and sister and dissolve the old congress. See how this country progresses in every sphere.
Do not worry Rahul. Your sister says you are fit for PM post. And otherwise also do you think your grandgrand father, grand mother and father were fit for PM post. No they were not. PM post was manupalated. So do not worry. India is your Bapauti. Take it and make fool indians as your party has been doing so far.