BJP leaders haven’t understood me, won’t back down: Rahul Gandhi in Wayanad

“My MP tag has been taken away but nobody can prevent my association with the people of Wayanad. It is home-coming for me...,” Rahul Gandhi said

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday renewed his attacks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the union government, saying they can take away everything and even send him to jail but they cannot scare or intimidate him and that he will continue to ask questions.

Wayanad: Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi wave at supporters during a roadshow in Wayanad on Tuesday (PTI)

In an emotionally-charged speech in Wayanad - this was his first visit to his constituency in north Kerala after being disqualification from the Lok Sabha - Rahul Gandhi said his fight against the government, which he said was “guided and controlled by four or five people”, will continue nevertheless.

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“They think if they send the police, take away my house or file a few cases or unseat me from parliament, I will be scared or intimidated. But they are mistaken, I will continue my fight and continue to ask questions,” he said. He said it was a fight between two visions, one guided by hatred and divisiveness and the other, by compassion.

“My MP tag has been taken away but nobody can prevent my association with the people of Wayanad. It is home-coming for me, you treat me as a family member,” said Gandhi, who won the Wayanad Lok Saba seat by a margin of over 4,00,000 votes in 2019.

The Congress leader said he was not allowed to speak in parliament because of the questions that he raised.

“I only asked one question to the PM. What is his relationship with the industrialist (Gautam Adani) who was in the 609th position in the country and how became no 2, after he assumed power? We have seen airport and seaport rules were changed for him and how he facilitated his growth,” he said adding nobody can silence him and he will continue to ask questions.

The Congress leader said the BJP and its leaders haven’t realised that he won’t back down; that their opponent doesn’t get intimidated or scared.

“I am surprised after so many years, the BJP and its leaders failed to understand me. I will continue my fight,” he said adding when he came to Wayanad four years ago to contest, the campaign was different and “it was more about affection” and he will continue to cherish and serve this relationship.

Sister and Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra thanked the people of Wayanad for standing with Rahul. “You all know how the government and its machinery attacked a man who asked a pertinent question. But you cannot silence him like this. It is a fact that the truth is always uncomfortable for those who always lie,” she said adding it was not an issue of one man but the entire country.

After his disqualification last month, workers of the Congress-led alliance United Democratic Front (UDF) staged protests in Wayanad and raised slogans against the Centre and outside central government offices, prompting the police to step up security at offices of the BJP and its ideological fount Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.

Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan had also spoken out against Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification from parliament and asked all democratic forces in the country to stand together to condemn the action.