Rahul Gandhi deprecates 'politics of alienation'

NEW DELHI: Virtually pitted in a race against Narendra Modi ahead of next Lok Sabha elections, Rahul Gandhi today unveiled his vision of inclusive development seeking partnership with corporate India but deprecated the "politics of alienating communities".

In his first structured interaction with India Inc., the 42-year-old Congress leader, widely seen as party's future Prime Minister, spoke at length on his idea of development in which government and industry can build a "brave empowered new India" with inclusiveness and compassion.

Recently promoted as party's Vice President, he said he was "not a hard-nosed politician" but happened to be in politics by accident of fate and dismissed as "irrelevant" talk about his becoming Prime Minister.

Calling for a partnership that incentivises industry to provide economic gains for the poor and aspiring middle class, Gandhi said the Congress government will ensure a "fair, rules-based and stable environment" for entrepreneurs large and small.

In a free-wheeling interaction laced with anecdotes and personal experience both in India and abroad, the young leader appeared to come hard on BJP, which he did not name.

"When you play the politics of alienating communities, you stop the flow of movement of people and ideas-and when that happens we all suffer.

"Businesses suffer, the seeds of disharmony are sown and the dreams of our people are severely disrupted. Once begun, this damage takes a very long time to reverse. It is very dangerous to leave people behind," Gandhi said.

Maintaining that inclusive growth is a win-win for everybody, he said that the biggest danger is excluding the poor, minorities and dalits.

"Anger, hatred and prejudice do not help growth. If you alienate communities, we all suffer," Gandhi said in comments that could be seen as an attack on the Gujarat Chief Minister, who has been accused of indulging in divisive politics.