All India Congress Committee (AICC) vice president, Rahul Gandhi made scathing attack on Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) for having ‘poisonous mentality that killed Mahatma Gandhi’. The Congress leader, at a rally at Bardoli in south Gujarat on Friday also alleged Narendra Modi-led Gujarat government for fooling the poor and tribal community in the region.

Addressing the rally organised by youth Congress, Gandhi said, “Sardar Patel and Mahatma Gandhi had the ideology of love and brotherhood. Sardar Patel had said that RSS was a poisonous entity. It was this ideology of RSS that killed Mahatma Gandhi. Sardar Patel wanted to ban RSS.”

Adding further he said that those who do not understand the ideology of Sardar Patel want to make his statue. Modi has announced to make tallest statue of Sardar Patel on the banks of Narmada in Gujarat.

Taking on the Gujarat government on its poverty figures, Gandhi alleged “Indiraji had given the slogan of ‘garibi hatao’ (eradicate poverty), while they (BJP government) believe in ‘garib hatao’ (eradicate the poor).”

Rahul Gandhi went on to say that the government in Gujarat was not for poor or common-man; rather it is being run by 5-6 individuals. “Nearly 13,000 government schools have closed down in Gujarat. About 55,000 small businesses had to shut down and announced packages do not reach to the poor people,” the Gandhi scion alleged.

Taking a jibe at BJP’s recent attempt to capitalise on Modi’s humble origins through ‘Chai pe Charcha’ (talk over tea) campaign, the Gandhi scion stated that one should give respect to the ‘chaiwala’ (tea vendor) but not to the one who fools people. “Chaiwalon ki ijjat karo (respect the tea vendors) lekin jo ulloo banata hai uski ijjat nahi karni chahiye (but don’t respect the one who fools people).”

Gandhi also raked up corruption issues like delayed appointment of Lokayukta in Gujarat, only one RTI Commissioner in the state against the mandated 10 and issues like state having ministers with criminal background.

The rally bears political importance mainly because the Congress leader was making the address after 11 years at the historic place where Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel did his first successful satyagraha in 1928.