Exclusive Interview of Randeep Surjewala (Chairman, Communication, AICC) with Garima Singh
1. Are you shouldering a responsibility which seems unrealistic as of now to uplift Congress?
I am just a small worker of the party. Rahul Gandhi ji is shouldering this responsibility along with all of us. I believe our challenge lies not in making Congress win the election but majorly to eradicate the filths existing in the country and to restore the culture, heritage and democracy of the nation which has been put in danger by Modi today.
2. Competing with a leader like Modi, do you feel that 2019 election are going to be easy for you?
Narendra Modi has attacked the farmers, unemployed youths and the middle man with punches like Gabbar Singh Tax (GST). Even the Judiciary and the Parliament are under threat by the Modi government today. We on the contrary, believe in national development. And not only Congress but the entire nation has to club and fight against this single threat for nation.
3. If Congress had been so idealistic, then why did we need the Food Security Bill after so many years of independence in 2013 ?
Even Germany and England have problems. 35 Crore people couldn’t have been left just to die! If a common man will spend his major earnings on basics like wheat and rice, then how will he manage other expenses? Then what wrong we committed in making them available with rice and wheat at a price as low as Rs. 3 and 2?
4. Do you feel Congress is lacking as a strong opposition ?
It’s just a projection that has been induced in your mind by Modi. He wanted to abolish Land Acquisition Act. Although we did not have numbers, but Rahul ji opposed it and we stopped Modi government. We took stand on RTI and MGNREGA and Modi was compelled to increase the budget. Today, India is attacked by a “dictatorship”. Modi ji knows everything and we all are fools? The entire 1.2 Billion population of India is a fool? Right? The ideology that “one man knows everything” should be put to an end!
5. Why an established party like Congress has got confined to just four states in the nation?
I admit, we committed mistakes in 2009-2014. But, the good part is we admitted it and we are improvising them. BJP may threaten the democracy of the nation and can be in power like Bihar and Goa. But, saying “Congress shall not win” is something absurd. The party enjoys its major presence in states like Punjab, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya and Manipur. But, we will never ever think of a “BJP MUKT BHARAT”.
6. How Congress is expecting to defeat Modi while the party is not even able to register its strength?
BJP witnessed zero presence in recent by-elections in huge states like MP, Rajasthan and UP. Modi ji has lost 10 Lok Sabha elections in 2016-2017. Congress has won 4, though. If he is that popular, why did he loose these elections in bulk?
If their alliances would not have supported, BJP would have collapsed! BJP has lost its majority in the Lok Sabha and has come down to 271. It is incapable to form a government without its alliances. “BJP jumlo ki sarkar hai”. In 2019, public is not going to tolerate any false promise and over commitment and the dictatorship would be put to an end!
7. You have only 2 seats in UP; Amethi and Raebareli. Then on what basis Sonia Gandhi has sloganed that at any cost the party will never let Modi in power again?
BJP too once had just 2 seats. Still they gained 282 seats. This is “Democracy”. UP CM and Deputy CM have lost their seats in the by-elections. They have lost MP and Rajasthan by-polls. We on the contrary, won the by-elections by all the 17 Vidhan Sabha seats in Rajasthan. This itself shows that people, the public, is dejecting BJP and accepting Congress.
8. After all your preps, what do you predict in 2019 polls?
Dictatorship will be put to an end. And democracy will win. A common man knows that Modi is a liar.
9. You say BJP’s campaigning is based on false commitments. How did you let this happen ?
Congress is not at all like BJP. On one hand, he has always been seen in elite attires with all royal belongings in his diplomatic election gambits with his “jumle”. Whereas, Rahul ji is a straight forward person with honest and clear words. Rahul ji is not callous like Modi.
10. It is Congress who has been known for its elegance, elites and legacy. Your comments..
If we say the public has been a fool in voting for Congress for 60-long years, it would be an insult to democracy. We are from an elite background, this is a different thing. But, we have been accepted by the public first, and this is why we came into power.
11. If the results are in your favour, you claim EVM to be ok. But, when it comes to BJP’s win, using EVM in elections becomes wrong.
What all we demand is transperancy. Transperancy is, if the voters may have their vote slips with them after voting and that slips could also be counted. Then, the entire process would be fair enough.
12. In your recent plenary session, Rahul took a decision that nobody would sit at the Dias. But, he had to face objection for the same. Is managing experienced and the youths in the party tricky for Rahul Gandhi ?
No MP, MLA and no minister is important than the public. We have been chosen by the public. So, doing this Rahul ji wanted to disseminate a message among all and he himself didn’t sit on the stage. He is primitive enough to manage experience and youthfulness. He is not like Modi who sidelined his political guru, Advani.
13. Why “Gandhi dynasty” is always considered as a protagonist, albeit, a handful number of experienced and learned leaders ?
Have you ever heard of two leaders from the same family being offered the post of PM but they refuse and let others take the lead? Has that happened ever in history? Sonia Ji has offered the post to “learned” Dr. Manmohan Singh in the past.
14. But then, Rahul Gandhi had torn the ordinance of the same “learned” leader. That means, power still lies in your vicinity! Then, why this false projection ?
Such ordinance that shields crime and the convicted shall always be torn. Rahul Gandhi did a commendable job, instead.
15. Why did Rahul Gandhi not object when the party was about to bring the ordinance due to “pressure politics” ?
Perhaps, Rahul Gandhi’s way was wrong. But, something that leads you to the right place can never be wrong. When the party was at the wrong move, it was only Rahul Gandhi who took this outrageous and bold step to give the right direction.
16. Does Rahul Gandhi believe that to compete with Modi he has to copy his style?
Rahul ji can never be callous like Modi. He will never mislead you. If he knows, he will speak. Otherwise, he will not.
17. Will you come in power in 2019 ?
“Ache din aane vale hai, Modi ji jane wale hai”
18. If you fail to get the majority, will you go for coalition government again? And are you ready to face the same blame games again ?
Time will tell. Besides, all the parties who are willing to work for nation’s good will come together.
19. If ever Rahul Gandhi wins, will he make someone else the PM, alike Sonia Gandhi did ?
(Strongly) No. With all the blessings and support of the nation’s public, Rahul ji will definitely be the PM in 2019.
20. Will you win in upcoming Karnataka polls ?
Yes. I believe Congress will register its win. Even, Amit Shah today believes that Yeddyurappa govt. is the most corrupt government.
21. Why did you use “impeachment” as a tool that too so immaturely ?
This was truly a fight between forces ‘Rejecting Democracy’ & voices ‘Rescuing Democracy’.
Within hours of 64 MP’s submitting the impeachment motion, Leader of Rajya Sabha (FM) had expressed naked prejudice by calling it a ‘revenge petition’ virtually dictating the verdict to Rajya Sabha Chairman on that day.
22. Do you eye any conspiracy in the technical fault that happened in Rahul’s plane flying to Karnataka from Delhi ?
It is definitely a conspiracy. We have demanded a probe into the matter. Rahul Ji had landed safely, though.
23. How do you see PM Modi’s visit to China ?
Modiji may not be able to show ‘red eyes’ as he loftily promised, but will he show the courage of speaking directly on Doklam issue & defend India’s interests ?