Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday, November 21, said he “felt the pain of farmers, youth and tribal people” after meeting them and listening to their problems during the Bharat Jodo Yatra. In his first election rally in poll-bound Gujarat, Rahul, while addressing a gathering of tribal people at Mahuva in Surat district, said they are the first owners of the country and claimed the BJP was working to take away their rights.
"They (BJP) do not say you are the first owners of India, but that you live in the jungle. It means they do not want you to live in cities, they do not want your children to become engineers, doctors, learn to fly planes, speak English," he said. "They want you to live in the jungle, but do not stop there. After that, they start taking the jungle from you. If it continues like this, then in another 5-10 years, all the jungles will be in the hands of two-three industrialists, and you will have no place to live, and won't get education, health and jobs," he added. He said during the Bharat Jodo Yatra, which was for the unity of the country, he felt the pain of farmers, youth and people from tribal communities after listening to their problems.
Elections to the 182-member Gujarat Assembly will be held in two phases on December 1 and 5 and the counting of votes will be taken up on December 8.