Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi launched the campaign in Maharashtra for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls from Wardha on Friday. While addressing the big gathering the Congress slammed the BJP and reiterated that its campaign balloon will burst this time too like in 2004 and 2009. “The poor people of India had deflated the India shining Balloon of NDA twice, in 2004 and 2009. This time they have flown a new, heavier balloon, the Gujarat model; and people of India will deflate this balloon of ‘Gujarat model’ as well. India is going to have yet another Congress government that works for the poor and downtrodden”, said Rahul Gandhi.

1. Camp: Wardha, Maharashtra
Time: 3 pm
Date: 28th March, 2014
Rahul Gandhi at Wardha: People will deflate balloon of Gujarat model of BJP as well
Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi launched the campaign in Maharashtra for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls from Wardha on
Friday. While addressing the big gathering the Congress slammed the BJP and reiterated that its campaign balloon will burst this
time too like in 2004 and 2009. “The poor people of India had deflated the India shining Balloon of NDA twice, in 2004 and 2009.
This time they have flown a new, heavier balloon, the Gujarat model; and people of India will deflate this balloon of ‘Gujarat
model’ as well. India is going to have yet another Congress government that works for the poor and downtrodden”, said Rahul
Gandhi.
“The BJP says it wants to remove the Congress from this land. But if they read history properly, they will come to know that
Congress party is not just an organisation, but an ideology which is thousands of years old. This ideology is deep rooted in the
minds of all Indians” said the Congress leader.
Once gain slamming Gujarat Model, the Congress Vice President continued, “Maharashtra stands at top in growth. Maximum
FDI comes to Maharashtra. This state contributes 17% of total GDP. People talk of Gujarat model but Maharashtra model has
been working very nicely here. Maharashtra model of development is far better than the Gujarat model”.
“I know that the farmers here had under severe crisis due to hail storm, few months back and drought. The Centre has
announces a relief package worth Rs 800 crore to help you. We also have initiated an Integrated water shed management
programme in 250 lakh hectare and a Rs 20000 cr worth Dry land Agriculture Mission to provide water in 100 lakh hectare area”
informed Rahul Gandhi.
Striking an emotional chord with the women, Rahul Gandhi stated, “India can never be a super power if we do not empower our
women, which constitutes 50% of our population. We gave you 50% reservation for women in panchayats and we want to give
reservation for them in Parliament and Assemblies too. The bill to grant 33% reservation for women in Parliament and
assemblies is still pending as the opposition is not letting its passage. I assure you that the Congress party will get it passed. We
also will ensure adequate women representation in all units of Congress party also”.
“India will develop only if there are sufficient jobs for our youth. Our efforts are on this direction. The new proposed industrial
corridor – Delhi-Mumbai, Mumbai-Chennai, Delhi-Kolkata- will boost the manufacturing sector and will generate lakhs of jobs
for our youth. It is one of the biggest infrastructure projects undertaken by us. Today China is the biggest manufacturing hub and
tomorrow it will be India” he added.

2. “We will strengthen our efforts to serve the poor further in future. We gave you right to job and right to food; now we are going
to grant right to health and right to shelter to you in the next 5 -10 years” assured Rahul Gandhi and urged the people to support
Congress and elect its candidates for strengthening development in the state as well as in the country..
Full text of the speech of Rahul Gandhi addressing a Congress election rally at Wardha, Maharashtra
We always launch our Maharashtra campaign for any elections from Wardha because this place and its people have the DNA of
the Congress ideology, like me. Maharashtra is the land of many brave personalities like Shivaji, Chatrapathi Sahuji Maharaj,
Jyotiba Phule, Bhim Rao Ambedkar and Gandhi ji.
The BJP says it wants to remove the Congress from this land. But if they read history properly, they will come to know that
Congress party is not just an organisation, but an ideology which is thousands of years old. This ideology is deep rooted in the
minds of all Indians.
We do talk about women. You may recall that Acharya Vinobha Bhave ji had launched a movement for women’s rights.
The poor people of India had deflated the India shining Balloon of NDA twice, in 2004 and 2009. This time they have flown a
new, heavier balloon, the Gujarat model; and people of India will deflate this balloon of ‘Gujarat model’ as well. India is going to
have yet another Congress government that works for the poor and downtrodden.
Wardha is famous for its cotton industries and narangi. There is a Wardha - Pavnar – Sewagram tourist circuit also here. The
new textile policy designed by the state government here will help generate thousands of jobs. Morshi Arvi and Warud are
considered as Florida of India. I want a day when Flordia will be considered as Morshi, Arvi and Warud of USA. I dream for a day
when other big cities follow Morshi, Arvi and Warud. We can do so by improving infrastructure and by having proper storage
and processing facilities. I also am aware of your demand of a freight wagon in Warud-Basawal railway line. We will try our level
best to meet it too. Wardha - Pavnar – Sewagram circuit can be developed into a good tourist centre and a Rs 490 cr worth
‘Gandhi for tomorrow’ project is going to come up here.
In the past ten years, Congress-led UPA Government at the Centre brought in several programmes for the welfare of the poor in
our country. We have laid out a strong foundation based on rights under their feet. MNREGA was originated from Maharashtra.
We implemented it across the country and crores of people got its benefits. Similary our programmes of Food Security and Land
Acquisition Bill also proved very useful for the people. RTI Act ensured transparency in government administration and gave
people a right to gather any information about government. It acts as the most powerful tool to fight corruption. We also
implemented Tribal bill to benefit our Adivasis. Due to our effort we could lift about 15 crore people out of poverty, for the first
time in our history. This is not a small achievement.

3. Maharashtra stands at top in growth. Maximum FDI comes to Maharashtra. This state contributes 17% of total GDP. People talk
of Gujarat model but Maharashtra model has been working very nicely here. Maharashtra model of development is far better
than the Gujarat model.
UPA government had waived off loan of poor farmers worth Rs 7000 cr. When we were giving such benefits to farmers, the
Opposition had said we were wasting money. But we assured them that we will arrange money for it and we showed them how
to make money for the welfare of the poor. We always fight for farmers and poor.
We fought for farmer’s right in lads at Bhatta-Parsaul and Niyamgiri. We had only only question; if a rich person can get
adequate compensation for the land they sell, why can’t the poor farmers also get the same. The opposition was not ready to
find a solution to this serious issue. When we were introducing revised Land Acquisition Bill, opposition tried to stall the move
for two years. But finally the farmers and the people won the battle and Land Bill is a reality now. Now, no one can grab lands of
the farmers forcefully and they will get 4 times more market price for the lands acquired. We could do all such things with your
support.
Opposition also had stalled FDI. I know that the farmers here had under severe crisis due to hail storm, few months back and
drought. The Centre has announces a relief package worth Rs 800 crore to help you. We also have initiated an Integrated water
shed management programme in 250 lakh hectare and a Rs 20000 cr worth Dry land Agriculture Mission to provide water in 100
lakh hectare area.
India can never be a super power if we do not empower our women, which constitutes 50% of our population. We gave you 50%
reservation for women in panchayats and we want to give reservation for them in Parliament and Assemblies too. The bill to
grant 33% reservation for women in Parliament and assemblies is still pending as the opposition is not letting its passage. I
assure you that the Congress party will get it passed. We also will ensure adequate women representation in all units of
Congress party also.
A delegation of women had come to me requesting my intervention to get the number of subsidized LPG cylinders increased to
12. I conveyed this decision to our Prime Minister and Sonia Gandhi and the government took no time to increase the number to
12. I want to thank Maharashtra govt for connecting about 7 lakh women with banks through Self Help Groups.
India will develop only if there are sufficient jobs for our youth. Our efforts are on this direction. The new proposed industrial
corridor – Delhi-Mumbai, Mumbai-Chennai, Delhi-Kolkata- will boost the manufacturing sector and will generate lakhs of jobs
for our youth. It is one of the biggest infrastructure projects undertaken by us. Today China is the biggest manufacturing hub and
tomorrow it will be India.
We will strengthen our efforts to serve the poor further in future. We gave you right to job and right to food; now we are going
to grant right to health and right to shelter to you in the next 5 -10 years.

4. Due to our pro-poor measures, a new class has now been emerged which is below the middle class but above the BPL. Our next
focus will be to uplift this new class of 70 crore people and bring them to the middle class. We want to provide them with good
education and proper health care faculties.
I am confident that Congress-NCP combine will perform better in this election and will win more seats. Go to the people and
spread our policies. Support Congress and elect our candidates so that we can see more progress in Maharashtra.
Thank you.
Jai Hind.