Camp: Shimla(Himachal Pradesh)
Date: 13th October 2009
Time: 11:00 AM
October 13, 2009
Attach no importance to Pakistan : Rahul Gandhi
- “Comparison with India a misfit pursuit”
With far-reaching impact in fast evolving multi-lateral diplomacy among the nations, Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi in a very
hard-hitting, yet subtle, tone said Pakistan could not be compared with a great country like India.While addressing media persons here on Tuesday, Gandhi categorically said Pakistan does not deserve even ‘half the importance’, as being accorded to, in our country.“Geographically, 
Pakistan is just a small piece of land and its comparison with our country is a misfit pursuit,” candidly remarked Congress general secretary. On Tuesday, he was on a day-long visit to Himachal Pradesh to woo students for the party’s student wing - the National Students Union of India (NSUI).
Delving further on current situation in the neighbouring country, Gandhi said Pakistan’s internal issues do have some bearings on our country but we accord too much time considering them important and crucial, Gandhi emphasized. “In my view, it (Pakistan) deserves not even half the importance we attach to it,” Gandhi told mediapersons.Reflecting on the changing global mindset towards Pakistan, he said the attitude of the world in general towards it (Pakistan) has gone under change in recent past, he remarked, adding that same having emerged only after arduous and protracted efforts by India at all platforms.
“The entire world is putting pressure on Pakistan. Certain issues related to Pakistan have to be taken into consideration and which is already being done. And, we are placed comfortably. There is no comparison between India and Pakistan,” further said Congress general secretary.
Gandhi, taking a dig at the opposition parties in particular the BJP, said, “ They (the BJP) talk about Pakistan’s founder Mohammad Ali Jinnah. But, then he (Jinnah) is in realm of the history and for me, it is just not possible to even think about Jinnah even for five seconds or for that matter, even for one second also.”
He further remarked about the BJP’s ‘India Shining’ slogan and how same was discarded by the people at large in 2004 general elections. Within the elite structure of the society in urban pockets only, India was shining, Gandhi said, adding, “We believe in the ideology of uplift of the poor and the down-trodden.”
Commenting on the criticism about his visits to villages, he said that these were meant primarily to get first-hand information about the real situation in the country and for necessary measures to redress problems. In a frank admission, Congress general secretary said political parties, including Congress, BJP and others, had not been open to bring the youth under respective folds. “With an aim to democratise the process of active participation, we are sincere about same in our frontal organisations of the party, Youth Congress and NSUI,” Gandhi said, adding that nominations would be a thing of the past and only elected people would man these set-ups.
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