Trichy: Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday paid tributes to Kamaraj and said that today the leaders of Tamil Nadu were not listening to the voices all the people.
Addressing a public meeting to celebrate the birth centenary of the late K Kamaraj, a chief minister who rose to become AICC President, Rahul said, “It's a special honour for me to be here with all of you in Tamil Nadu today. We have gathered here to celebrate one of our great leaders, Kamaraj ji's birth anniversary,” and added, “Some people here might still remember the feeling of hope and excitement as they went to school for the first time. Other people might remember the relief they felt when they got jobs and were able to live a better life because of Kamaraj ji.”
Further paying tributes to Congress leader, Rahul said that he admired Kamaraj because “he listened to all the people of Tamil Nadu, not just one group or just one community,” as per ANI.
“Kamaraj truly believed that through education the people of India could climb out of poverty. When people thought of Tamil Nadu, they used to think of progress and opportunity. This happened because Kamarajji listened to all the people. He firmly believed that the people have the answers,” the Congress VP pointed out.
However, he maintained that all that happened 50 years ago.
“Today in Tamil Nadu, your leaders are not listening to the voices of all the people. It is because people around them make them believe that all the answers come from them. They believe that because they are the ones sitting in the CM's house, in the PM's house, they are the ones taking decisions and they believe they don't need to listen to you," he said.
He also hit out at the regional parties over the money they make from the liquor trade and invoked Kamaraj to ask people to help bring the Congress party to power which will try and install the "golden era of Kamaraj" back in Tamil Nadu.
Seeking to win over the youth in the state, the Congress vice president said the "progressive" people in the state were suffering from the problem of unemployment and assured that Congress will help provide them with jobs so they can fend for their families.
He also sought to woo the lower classes alleging that a large number of atrocities were being committed on them and those committing atrocities on them were not being punished. He also promised setting up of fast track courts so that no one went unpunished.
Interestingly, Rahul braved heavy rains and storm to address the people.
As rains intensified, state unit Congress chief EVKS Elangovan interrupted and asked the cheerful crowd whether it would brave the downpour to which the gathering responded with a roaring 'yes', as per PTI.
Realising that the heavy rains could make it difficult for the interpreter to follow him properly and continue his translation from English into Tamil, Gandhi even shifted to the mike being used by the former.
A drenched Gandhi recalled Kamaraj's contribution in emphasising on school education and development of rural areas.
Gandhi was also seen repeating some of his lines for the benefit of the interpreter to properly convey his address to the people.
As the rain gained momentum, a concerned organiser rushed to protect Gandhi with an umbrella but was politely turned away by the Congress leader.
(With Agency inputs)
