“Didn’t you feel bad, Papa…” Priyanka Gandhi shares memory of former PM Rajiv Gandhi

Bhilai: Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday revealed an incident from her past and said that a leader even with the PM post was used to be held accountable for the things happening in the country.

Sharing a memory at Mahila Samridhi Sammelan in Chhattisgarh’s Bhilai, Vadra said, "Once, me and my father were going to Amethi (Rajiv Gandhi’s constituency) via jeep and my father was driving the jeep. We get off from the jeep and were walking to roads and suddenly a woman came to my father started scolding him. She was questioning about the bad situations of the road asked my father what he had done for her area when the roads are waterlogged after the rain."

The Congress leader further said that after the incident, she asked Rajiv Gandhi whether he felt bad.
“When we came to the jeep, I asked him ‘apko buran nahi laga papa? (didn’t you feel bad papa),” the Congress leader said, adding that to this, the former Prime Minister said that it was the duty of the woman to question him.
“It is my duty to take care of the people and it is the duty of that woman to hold my accountability,” Rajiv Gandhi had told Priyanka, according to the Congress leader.

Priyanka Gandhi also hit out at the Central government led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), saying that those were the days when a leader having the PM post used to be held accountable for the things happening in the country.
"The Central Government organised G20, it's good...But they cannot answer you why there is unemployment, inflation, or why farmers are not getting the required amount for their crops...? Chhattisgarh government is following the older way of politics, working for the people, but the central government is taking away the rights of poor and giving it to their rich friends..." she added.

She further said that the sentiments of people are being used for political motives in the country.
“People being misled as part of political conspiracy so that they don’t ask questions. Those who seek votes in name of religion and caste, ask them what they have done for you. Sentiments of people are being used for political motives in the country,” Priyanka Gandhi said.

Priyanka Gandhi’s visit to Chhattisgarh came after the two-day Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting in Hyderabad.
Earlier in the month, Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge attended the 'Bharosa Ke Sammelan' event in the state's Rajnandgaon city.
The 2023 Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly election is scheduled to be held later this year to elect all 90 members of the House. Congress managed to win 68 seats while BJP was able to ensure victory on 15 seats in the 2018 Assembly elections.

Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram, Rajasthan and Telangana will go to polls later this year.
Talking about Bhilai, Priyanka said that the city is a beacon for the country.

“The foundation of the modern India was laid here. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru ji laid the foundation of steel plant in Bhilai in 1955. Bhilai is a symbol of the country's dream of entrepreneurship and self-reliance. Every countryman should feel proud standing here,” she said.

Priyanka also lauded Chhattisgarh government led by Bhupesh Baghel and mentioned the women centric schemes of the Congress government in the state.
“Before coming on stage here, I talked to some women, I felt very proud to see them self-reliant. They were smiling with courage and happiness that the government did something for them, due to which they were standing on their feet. Many women said that they were employed for the first time. The mothers and sisters of Chhattisgarh have the pot of culture in one hand and the Brahmastra of science and technology in the other hand,” she added.