Rahul Gandhi addresses FICCI: Highlights

New Delhi: Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi today addressed industry body FICCI in New Delhi. Here are the highlights of his speech:

• A political party is about the people it represents. We will listen to those voices
  
• Our relationship with you started since the time Mahatma Gandhi addressed FICCI
• Need for regulatory system to be overhauled
• Unfortunately good news about this government doesn't sell newspapers in New Delhi
• We did not hit a six in the last elections
  
• I get the sense and know what it feels like when you go to an AGM with bad news
• We look ahead and understand the message from the people
• Complete agreement for a regulatory system
• If you struggle in your work, slow decision making not acceptable
  
• Petroleum, mining have been the biggest focus
  
• Environmental damage must be avoided
• Decisions should be transparent
• Need to build a robust real estate market so businesses have access to land
• Biggest issue is corruption, it is an unacceptable burden on our people. We must fight corruption
• We have ensured convicted MPs are kept out of Parliament
  
• We have made sure recently that criminals are kept outside the parties
• I have learnt not to ask for ordinances to be torn and thrown in the bin 
• The Lokpal Bill is waiting to be passed in Parliament today
• Our government gets a lot of criticism
• But our government has done more to address corruption that any other party
• Very few governments have the courage to take a decision like the RTI
• India has the brightest youngsters in the world
• But our education system does not do justice to them
• Poverty cannot be fought without growth
• India is a system, you have to empower the business and people, it's a partnership
• In 10 years, almost a third of Indian population has risen out of poverty
• Don't agree with the view that food security and MNREGA are a drag on the economy
• We have to create fulfilling jobs for our young
• Agriculture is an equally high priority
• High inflation is our immediate concern, it hurts people every day. Beating inflation is our priority
• Peace cannot be constructed on hatred
• Societies cannot be built on injustices
• We at Congress understand this
• Congress mission anchored in this idea - humanity needs to be united in love, compassion and harmony
• On Land Acquisition Bill: Real issue is that there is a cost for not having the bill. India has become competitive. The central issue is the cost of bearing the land. This will protect you from the hidden cost. People have told me that its not that bad of a bill as its made out to be.
• On Environment-Industry balance: Areas that are absolutely critical, we need to be very careful. But in other instance we can carve out a way. There is a middle path.
• The biggest problem in this country is arbitrary power
• Politics of this country is changing, transparency is increasing. Have to get used to the new paradigm of RTI
• Values cannot be stopped by national borders, they sneak in
• On education, employability: The education system is a network of AGOs, students... some of our institutions are exceptional like IITs. But we should start bringing in the government, industries and business. There is a disconnect in the role of industry in education. Must increase access to education. The value is not being utilised. IITs, IIMs have a lot of value but it's locked there. We have to reinvent the way we think about education.