LUCKNOW: In a not-so-veiled criticism of the causes that lead to disparity between the rich and the poor, BJP MP Varun Gandhi has said the rich were ‘fleecing’ banks, the poor were being forced to commit suicide.Speaking at a non-political event in the state capital, Gandhi also said that people did not know the thoughts of today’s top leaders on key issues as winning elections had become the sole criterion to become a big politician. “A farmer in Kerala, KT Thomas, could not repay Rs 3,000 loan and ultimately committed suicide.On the other hand, Vijay Mallya who secured bank loans of Rs 4,500 crore fled India and it seems like he will never come back,” he said. Gandhi said that earlier, people knew the thoughts of their leaders on key issues like agriculture, economy external affairs etc. “How many people today know the thoughts of our 10 top present day leaders on key issues? You don’t know them. Earlier a person used to become a leader after writing at least a hundred articles or getting books published.Today, winning polls has become the only criterion to become a leader,” Gandhi claimed. Talking of his great grandfather, the MP form Sultanpur said that many people were of the view that Jawahar Lal Nehru led an aristocratic life. “People do not know that he was in jail for 15-and-half years. These leaders took blows to make India independent.If someone today asks me to be jailed for 15 years and then become Prime Minister I will refuse,” Gandhi said. He said that it was because of his Gandhi surname that he could easily rise in politics but those without any backing end up at the lower rung of politics. He said that politics should be about changing the system and not merely those sitting in power.Gandhi said that an average MP owns assets worth Rs 15 crore but still hanker for a salary raise, which he had opposed by writing to the Speaker. Gandhi said that 10% of people own 92% of the wealth globally and among the 85 wealthiest people on earth, 20 were from India. “Since 2013, their wealth has grown by Rs 5,000 crore per day.But unfortunately the poor continue to grapple with life.” He said that medical costs were a big reason for rising poverty. Gandhi said that the DAVP policy was a threat to freedom of speech and a large state had stopped advertisements to the largest newspaper there. Criticizing the media, Gandhi said that on the day Salman Khan ’s acquittal was reported, a Chhattisgarh woman was raped and branded a Maoist but the media ignored the news.