New Delhi:
Back after a 57-day break from politics, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi along with party president and mother Sonia Gandhi will address a rally on Sunday over the land acquisition bill and against the Narendra Modi government policies that the party describes as "anti-farmer".
- This energy today is what we need to fight against the injustice to farmers.
- We may be out of power but there will be no let up in our intensity of fighting for the farmers.
- Kisan ki awaaz na dabi hai, na dabegi
"The PM who proclaimed 'sabka saath, sabka vikaas' has abandoned the farmers", Sonia Gandhi tells the farmers at Ramlila Maidan.
- They do not bother if you want to sell your land or not. If the land is not utilized within 5 years, there is no guarantee when will you get it back.
- Government isn't ready to procure wheat from farmers but are signing import deals with Australia. The value of paddy has fallen 35% in the past one year.
- BJP is conspiring against farmers, have introduced amendments to a law that they had consented to and is pro-farmers: Sonia Gandhi.
- The amendments are being made to benefit corporates and industrialists,
- We are here to send a strong message to the PM and government: 'Enough is enough' (ab bahut ho chukka hai)
- The relief that is being announced for farmers is now next to nothing... it feels as if they are rubbing salt in your wounds.
By coming here today in such large numbers you have strengthened our resolve: Sonia Gandhi addressing the rally at Ramlila Maidan
- We don't want an India where a few get everything and the farmers get nothing: Rahul Gandhi.
- If they really want to 'Make in India,' then why have they changed the 5-year clause? We had said if nothing is built on land acquired in 5 years, it will be given back to the farmers.
- Congress will stand with you. If they try to take your land, we will be there. You will see Congress workers there, you will see me there: Rahul Gandhi tells farmers at mega-rally in Delhi.
" 'Make in India' is Modi ji's dream that will not work. They will take away your land and you will have no other employment", Rahul Gandhi addressing the rally at Ramlila Maidan.
Earlier they would take your land and not pay you. We changed that. We offered farmers 4 times the market rate.
Modiji took loans from the industrialists and to pay them back he will give them your land: Rahul Gandhi at Ramlila Maidan.
- We have always worked for the poor and the weak and we will continue to fight their battle.
- In Niyamgiri, I met adivasis and pledged my support to them.
- Modiji went abroad and said 'I am cleaning "kachra" of the last 50 years'.
- What Modiji has said about India abroad, they neither befit Modiji, nor the office of the PM.
- Farmers are afraid of the changes that are being introduced to the (land) bill we had brought in 2013.
- Today when a farmer goes to bed, he doesn't know what will happen to his land tomorrow... he is living in fear
- Farmers strengthen the nation before industrialists... they feed the nation
- Whenever the Congress government could help the farmers, we did it
- We waived off farmers' loans worth 70,000 crores. We brought in MNREGA for te labourers. Whatever we did we did for the poor.
Farmers and labourers are a worried lot in India today because they feel the government has forgotten them: Rahul Gandhi addressing a rally at Ramlila Maidan.
Senior Congress Leader Digvijaya Singh addressing the rally. Here is what he said:
- Rahul Gandhiji, Soniaji gave farmers rights under the Land Acquisition Act which the BJP wants to take away.
- Rahulji, the fight which you had started from Bhatta Parsaul has to be taken forward... farmers across India are looking towards you.
Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh addressed the rally. Here is what he said:
- Congress has always fought for the rights of farmers and under Soniaji and Rahulji's leadership, we will be successful.
- During poll campaign, Modiji used to go around saying they will work for farmers but nothing of that sort has happened.
- Ordinance against 2013 bill we brought is aimed at wiping out all benefits for farmers. We will fight against these laws.
Congress president Sonia Gandhi, vice president Rahul Gandhi and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh have arrived at the Ramlila Maidan in Delhi to take part in the mega rally of farmers that the Congress has organised to take the battle to the government on the land acquisition bill.
A view of the crowd of farmers gathered at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan for the mega rally to be addressed by Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi.
Watch: Rahul Gandhi interacts with farmers
Rahul Gandhi interacts with delegations of farmers from UP, Rajasthan, Haryana and Punjab at his office
This photo was taken on Thursday while Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi was on his way home from the airport in New Delhi. He is expected to make his first public appearance at a massive farmers' rally at Delhi's Ramlila maidan.
There is speculation of Rahul Gandhi's possible elevation as Congress President in the near future. However, many within the Congress have shown mixed feelings about him taking over the reins. Congress leaders Sandeep Dikshit and Amarinder Singh suggested recently that the party will not benefit from Sonia Gandhi making way for her son for the top post.
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Rahul Gandhi's return on Thursday made him the top trend on twitter, with #RahulReturns leading all other trends. Even before his return to India, #RahulOnLeave trended for three days as did #WhereIsRahul.
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Often described as a reluctant politician, Rahul Gandhi is expected to replace his mother as party chief soon. But during his absence, the Congress has projected mixed feelings about him taking over the reins after a series of electoral disasters, which included a colossal defeat in last year's national election and the Delhi election in February.
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On Sunday, Rahul Gandhi will address a massive farmers' rally against the government's proposed law to make it easier to acquire land for key infrastructure projects.
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Under a renewed media glare, Rahul Gandhi has big challenges ahead - he has to prep his party for a string of state polls this year and the next.
The party has still not clarified where Mr Gandhi spent his holiday. The Congress has said that its number two leader wanted time off for introspection, and has also vehemently denied reports that he left over differences with his mother over the running of the party.
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Rahul Gandhi has missed much activity in a politically-charged season, leaving his party to defend a "leave of absence" that was extended several times, especially at a time the Congress has tried to rally opposition forces against the incumbent BJP-led NDA government.
The Congress vice president returned on a flight from Bangkok on Thursday, and was welcomed home by his mother and party president Sonia Gandhi, and sister Priyanka.
Rahul Gandhi, who returned on Thursday after an extended sabbatical in an unknown place, is expected to make his first public appearance on Sunday at Delhi's
Ramlilamaidan, where he is scheduled to address a farmers rally.
(File Photo)