Rahul Gandhi takes 'nikkar-walas' jibe at RSS; 'they can't decide Tamil Nadu's future'

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi launched a direct attack at the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) while addressing a rally in Tiruppur in poll-bound Tamil Nadu on Sunday, claiming that the 'nikkar-walas of Nagpur' will never be allowed to decide the future of the southern state. Rahul Gandhi, who was on a three-day visit to Tamil Nadu, participated in roadshows, interacted with MSME entrepreneurs and held public meetings in Coimbatore and Tiruppur. Launching an apparent attack on the RSS, Rahul Gandhi claimed that the future of Tamil Nadu will be decided by the youngsters and that it did not matter how many parades the RSS held in the state. 

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Further, Rahul Gandhi went on to repeat the tongue-twister that left his translator baffled earlier during a roadshow while he continued attacking the PM Modi-led Centre, alleging attempts made to 'blackmail' the Tamil Nadu government. Earlier on Sunday, ex-Congress chief Rahul Gandhi made a push strikingly similar to PM Modi's 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat', saying that if India's weavers, farmers and labourers were strengthened then China would not dare enter India. Connecting India-China LAC faceoff and push for 'self-reliant' India, he said that if India's small and medium industries were strengthened, then Chinese President will wear a 'Made in India' shirt. Rahul Gandhi also held a roadshow in Erode claiming that the BJP had 'insulted Tamil Nadu'.

"Every act of the Indian govt is to strengthen 5-6 businessmen and weaken India's real strength - the labourers and weavers of India. If India's weavers, farmers, labourers are given opportunities then China would not dare to come into India. If India's small-medium factories are strong, President of China will be wearing a 'Made in India' shirt, Chinese people will drive Indian cars, Chinese people will fly Indian planes. You are using the Indian Army and Navy to protect India from China. If you use India's labourers, you will not need the Army at the borders," said Rahul Gandhi while interacting with the weavers' community in Erode.

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Rahul Gandhi's southern sojourn

After attending a Jallikattu event in Madurai on the occasion of Pongal, Rahul Gandhi has returned to Tamil Nadu to campaign ahead of the state polls in April-May 2021. His 200-km roadshow began from Coimbatore district and the Congress leader visited Tiruppur, Odanilai, and Karur. In addition, he will also visit Kerala, including his constituency Wayanad for two days from January 27.  Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Puducherry are set to go to polls apart from Assam and West Bengal. While the eastern Congress units have asked Rahul Gandhi to visit them as well, no date has been set yet. Congress and its ally DMK face the AIADMK-BJP combination apart from Kamal Haasan's MNM and an array of local parties.

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