Rahul At AICC Meet, Says 'We Gave Power To The People'

NEW DELHI: After a long wait, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi addressed the All India Congress Committee (AICC) meeting held in New Delhi on Friday.

He began his speech by thanking the "soldiers" of the Congress party. He also thanked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for the commendable job he has done for the nation.

Rahul gave the credit of passing the crucial Right to Information (RTI) Act to his party and said that through this Act the people of the country have been given great power. He stressed that the Congress has increased the power of the people in the country.

Earlier in the day, signaling that Congress was ready for the battle ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, party president Sonia Gandhi attacked the BJP, saying its "divisive" ideology is the "biggest threat" while it puts up a "pretence" of moderation.

In a 20-minute speech, she also touched upon the issue of corruption, a major issue stalking the UPA II government, appealing to parties to rise above political considerations to ensure passage of anti-corruption measures pending in Parliament.

"Every action that the Congress took before and after Independence is about giving power to the people. That is where the power lies," said Rahul.

He emphasised that the answer to India's problems lies in pushing this revolutionary democratization further. Praising the Prime Minister, Rahul Gandhi said that India has seen stability and growth under his leadership.