Rahul Gandhi in Germay: Indian men must start viewing women as equals

Congress president Rahul on Wednesday said that there was a huge amount of violence against women in India and said that a country could not be built without involving women. India needs to change the way of viewing women, Rahul said in an address at the Kampnagel Theater, Bucerius Summer School in Germany’s Hamburg.

You cannot build a country if we don't involve women. Indian men have to start viewing women as their equals: Congress President @RahulGandhi #WillkommenRahulGandhi #Bucerius pic.twitter.com/WDWoear35p

— Congress (@INCIndia) August 22, 2018

Rahul maintained that there were very few women representatives in politics, adding population in itself was not a problem in India if women are brought in the workforce.

When I look at Parliament and political parties, there are very few women representatives. We are championing a Bill for women's reservation, but, deep down it's a cultural issue: Congress President @RahulGandhi #WillkommenRahulGandhi #Bucerius pic.twitter.com/o0e9VTRG4m

— Congress (@INCIndia) August 22, 2018

Meanwhile, Rahul in his wednesday address at Bucerius Summer School, launched a scathing attack against Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying the Modi government imposed demonetisation and destroyed the cash flow in the Indian economy, which left millions unemployed.

Couple years back, the Prime Minister demonetised the Indian economy and destroyed the cash flow of all MSMEs and millions of people who worked in the informal sector were left unemployed : Congress President @RahulGandhi #WillkommenRahulGandhi #Bucerius

— Congress (@INCIndia) August 22, 2018

Rahul continued his attack and alleged that funds meant for the poor were going to a few large corporates.

“The Dalits, minorities, tribals are now not allowed to gain from the Govt. All the money that used to go into schemes for the poor are now going to a few large corporates. The guaranteed employment scheme, right to food, right to information, bank nationalisation were some of the ideas that all governments held through. Now, these ideas are damaged to a great extent,” the Congress president alleged.

The Congress president condemned violence and said forgiveness was the only one way forward to end violence. “I have suffered violence and I can tell you, there is only one way to let it go- forgiveness. And for forgiveness, you need to understand where it is coming from,” Rahul said.

My father was killed by a terrorist in 1991. When the same terrorist died few years later, I wasn't happy. I saw myself in his children: Congress President @RahulGandhi #WillkommenRahulGandhi #Bucerius

— Congress (@INCIndia) August 22, 2018

On being asked about hugging PM Modi during no-confidence motion, Rahul said PM Modi was making hateful remarks at him but he showed affection. 

"Basic idea is that if someone hates you, it is something that they are doing, responding to it with hate is foolish, it won't solve any problem. You are in full control of how you react. Non-violence in India is a founding philosophy of our nationhood and essence of being an Indian. PM Modi was making hateful remarks at me, I showed affection, he was taken aback. Even some of them (my Party members) didn't like it and I disagreed with them,” Rahul said.

Rahul, who is on a four-day tour to the United Kingdom and Germany, reached Hamburg on Wednesday and met Niels Annen, minister of state and member of Bundestag, the German federal parliament.

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The two ministers discussed a range of issues including Indian and German politics, the devastating floods in Kerala, the GST and jobs, according to sources.

The Congress President will address the Indian Overseas Congress in Berlin on Thursday and will then visit the UK, where he will address an event organised by the Indian Overseas Congress in collaboration with local Indian-origin parliamentarians.