PTI
Pics by Aakash Polali - Daijiworld Media Network Bangalore
Rahul skirts query on making SC leader a CM of Karnataka
B R Hills (Karnataka), Mar 25: On a campaign trail ahead of the Karnataka assembly elections, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday deftly sidestepped a query on whether the party would make a Schedule Caste leader the chief minister of the state, saying that it is for the high command in Delhi to decide.
Interacting with rural people in the remote B R Hills on the first day of his five-day tour of Karnataka, Gandhi ducked a question from a local on whether the Congress will appoint Karnataka PCC president M Mallikarjun Kharge, a schedule caste leader, as Chief Minister if voted to power.
Apparently aware of the political sensitivities attached to the question, Rahul replied saying that it is for the party's high command in Delhi to decide.
Cautious that his visit, aimed at interacting with a cross-section of people ahead of the assembly elections, did not trigger a controversy in the state, Rahul said, "I do not want to comment between Karnataka and Delhi."
He, however, said he was eager to see more youth, particularly from SCs and STs, enter politics and he would spare no effort in encouraging them.
Bangalore: Rahul Gandhi Hits out at Critics of UPA Govt.
B R Hills (Karnataka) Mar 25: Hitting out at those who criticised the UPA government's Rs 60,000 crore loan waiver for farmers, Congress MP Rahul Gandhion Tuesday said questions were not raised when industrialists defaulted on loans.
Kicking off his four-day tour of Karnataka at B R Hills in Chamarajanagar district, he said, "when one spends one rupee for the poor, everybody asks why we are spending one rupee on the poor, when the same one rupee goes to the non-poor, there is no criticism."
"The issue is not about being pro-poor or pro-rich, the issue is about being fair and I commend the Prime Minister and Congress president for listening to the voice of the poor," he said.
Recalling his recent visit to Orissa, he said, "lot of people ask questions when we do loan waivers as to why we are doing loan waivers, but when large industrialists default on their loans, the same questions are not asked".
Airing his views on the government, he said, "government is about balance, the difference between this government and the last government is the way we view this balance. In this scale, we put some extra efforts on poor side of the balance. The earlier government put that on the other side".
Advocating English language for providing better opportunities to people, he said, "education is fundamental, the only difference between people in India is the way opportunity is given to them".
Rahul Gandhi spends time with Karnataka dalits, tribals
Following his breakfast with tribals in the BR Hills area of Karnataka, Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi spent some more time with dalits and tribals on the first day of his five-day road show in the state.
He used the opportunity of the interaction to attack critics of the farm loan waiver scheme announced by the UPA Government during this years Budget proposals for next fiscal.
He commended the efforts of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi in listening to the voice of the poor.
He also said English education can transform a person and give him or her better opportunities.
On his maiden official visit to Karnataka ahead of the State Assembly elections, Rahul Gandhi spoke about economics, governance and in a subtle way came down on the opposition NDA.
He said this government (UPA Government) had put in an effort of balancing towards the poor and not towards the rich.
In a gesture, he had lunch with tribal children at the Vivekananda Kendra.
In another function, the tribals gave a memorandum asking him to sort out many issues relating to the forest dwellers act.
He expressed gratitude to the tribal for preserving and protecting the forests for years and called upon them to protect knowledge.
Gandhi will be in Karnataka from March 25 to 28