BJP has made Advani "small leader": Rahul

B D Narayankar writes

Raichur/Sirsi/Bangalore, Apr 7 (PTI) Wading into BJP's
internal affairs, Rahul Gandhi today said L K Advani is no
more its "tallest leader" that he once used to be and has been
made a "small leader" by the party, as he unleashed a fierce
attack against Narendra Modi.
       "..You may remember Advaniji who is BJP's tallest
leader.. he is no more the tallest leader that he once used to
be. Now, BJP has made him a small leader..," Gandhi said at a
rally in Raichur in northern Karnataka. The BJP veteran and
the party's Prime Ministerial candidate have shared an uneasy
relationship in the recent past.
       The Congress Vice President talked about Advani while
referring to UPA government granting special status to
backward Hyderabad-Karnataka region comprising six districts
in north-east part of the state that would entail special
economic benefits to it.
       "... Advaniji who once used to be the tallest leader of
that party had said if article 371(J) is passed country will
get divided," Gandhi, said, adding, the UPA government did it.
       He said Advani's view on passing article 371 (J) would
disintegrate the country was "incorrect".
          "He(Advani) said if 371J is passed, the country will
disintegrate. We passed the 371J and the country was not
divided. It benefited you, it gave you education, employment,"
Gandhi added.
       Gandhi ridiculed the Gujarat model by raking up the
"snoopgate" scandal with the barb targeted at Modi, who was in
the eye of storm over a scandal involving the surveillance of
a woman.
       "CM's power in states like this (Karnataka) will be
towards empowering poor, getting big projects implemented, but
in Gujarat model CM's power will work towards putting police
force behind women, their power will also get utilised in
tapping women's phones....and these very people talk about
women empowerment."
       "On one side phone tapping, second side police are
chasing women from behind, on the third side pornographic
films are being watched and on the fourth side minister is
involved in rape like incidents, and these people come with
the posters of empowering  women...."
       "....these people can't empower you, as they don't
even respect you," he said.
    Gandhi also took potshots at Modi's "chowkidar" pitch,
saying the country did not need one "chowkidar".
    "BJP says give country a watchman (chowkidar), give one
chowkidar, he will reform the country. We say make crores of
people in the country its chowkidar, give them the power,
give them the strength."
    "The country doesn't want one chowkidar. If you give key
of your house to one chowkidar, he may even loot your house
easily. We want keys of your house to be in your pocket...let
power rest in your hands and you run the country, our job is
only to take your orders of what you want."
    "We respect you and this is the difference between us
(Congress) and them (BJP)," Gandhi said.
    Noting that Congress runs a government that is of people
from all regions, castes and languages, he said, "We don't
want any one model, in Karnataka Congress has a good model,
the model that works for the poor, downtrodden and that
gives your money back to you."
    "Our politics follows what you (people) say, we come to
you to seek your suggestions on what to do, we don't have much
knowledge...the knowledge is with you...the people, it is with
these women here," he said.
    At a rally at Sirsi in Uttara Kannada district, Gandhi
attacked the previous BJP government on the issue of graft,
saying it had created a record in corruption, with some
ministers even landing in jail.
Lashing out the previous BJP government in Karnataka,
Gandhi told a rally in Bangalore rally that it had created a
"world record" in corruption.
   "BJP has created a world record in corruption in Karnataka.
They looted crores of rupees of your money in mining scam.
Four MLAs and two of their ministers are still in jail. For
the first time your Chief Minister went to jail. Whole world
came to know that BJP's Karnataka Chief Minister is in jail on
corruption charges.
    "...they (BJP) speak about corruption, their leader comes
and gives speech on the stage and says we are against
corruption...when you come to Karnataka and see Yeddyurappa on
stage, when you greet him don't you remember of corruption
then? What is it if not corruption?" he said in a dig at Modi.
    Gandhi said the main difference between Congress and BJP
is "we speak of brotherhood" including Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs,
Christians and people belonging to various castes and states.
    "In Bangalore, there is brotherhood and peace. You go to
Maharashtra and talk to NDA partner Shiva Sena for two minutes
and you ask them about their ideology, they will tell you that
they beat and chase people from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
    "Here (Karnataka) they beat up women. They will beat
Muslims...We are not angry with anybody. We talk with love
even with our enemies. But they have anger in their heart. You
listen to the talks of BJP. They only have anger in them and
nothing else. This is the difference between them and us," he
added.