Jan 20, 2013 16:41 (IST)
Rahul Gandhi starts speaking in English for South India: highlights
- This morning I got up at 4 am and went to the balcony and thought I have a big responsibility
- People are standing behind you, standing on your side - it was dark and cold - and I decided I will tell you about what I feel and not what you want to hear
- When I was a boy I loved to play badminton because it gave me balance
- I was taught to [play by two cops who protected my grandmother... then one day they killed her and took away the balance in my life
- It was the first time in my life I saw my father crying - I could see he was broken
- In those days our country wasn't what it is today
- That same evening I saw my father address the nation on TV- I knew he was broken and terrified of what lay ahead - but as he spoke I felt a small glimmer of hopeToday as a look back I can see it was that small ray of hope that helped India achieve what it is today
- Unless you have hope you cannot change a thing
- Last night my mother came to my room because she sat with me and cried.. she cried because she understands the power so many seek is a poison
- She can see it because she is not attached to it
- We should not chase power for the attributes of power, we should only use it to empower the voiceless
- We are no longer seen as worthless and we are seen as the future
- Nations are raised on a foundation of hope - I see the Congress party as a embodiment of that hope
- For me, the Congress party is my life, the people of India are my life and I will fight for the people and this party
- I will fight with everything I have and I invite all of you to stand up and take on that fight