Felt pain of farmers, youth and tribals after meeting them during Bharat Jodo Yatra: Rahul Gandhi

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday said he felt the pain of farmers, youth and tribals after meeting them and listening to their problems during the Bharat Jodo Yatra.

In his first election rally in poll-bound Gujarat, Rahul Gandhi while addressing a gathering of tribals at Mahuva in Surat district said they are the first owners of the country and the BJP was working to take away their rights.

"They call you 'vanvasi'. They do not say you are the first owners of India, but that you live in the jungle. Do you see the difference? It means they do not want you to live in cities, they do not want that your children become engineers, doctors, learn to fly planes, speak English," he said.

"They want you to live in the jungle, but do not stop there. After that, they start taking the jungle from you. If it continues like this, then in another 5-10 years, all the jungles will be in the hands of two-three industrialists, and you will have no place to live, and won't get an education, health and jobs," Rahul Gandhi said.

He said during the Bharat Jodo Yatra, which was for the unity of the country, he felt the pain of the farmers, youth and people from the tribal community after listening to their problems.

Elections to the 182-member Gujarat Assembly will be held in two phases on December 1 and 5 and the counting of votes will be taken up on December 8.