Leader of the Opposition and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Thursday paid homage to the late Congress leader and former Kerala Chief Minister Oomon Chandy at Smriti Sangam held at St. George Orthodox Church in Putupalli, Kottayam. Party leaders, supporters and local people laid a wreath at Chandi’s tomb and bowed to the legacy of the revered leader. Describing Chandi as a leader of public welfare and service, Gandhi appreciated his humility and honesty.
Rahul said in his address that you must be wondering why I have come here, and why am I talking to you about politics and feelings? Because in my 21 -year political life, one of the masterminds of politics of emotions was Oomon Chandy ji. I have really seen them – and perhaps many people in Kerala will not understand it. And I remember during the journey of India, everyone said, even the doctors told me that Chandi ji cannot walk in the journey. And when I went to tell them that they could not travel long, they refused to retreat. They said that they will walk. Then I had to force them to walk a little. We had to force them in the car.
The Congress leader said that this does not happen because you speak well or think well. This happens only when you feel for those with whom you are working. And for me, Omn Chandy ji is not just a person; He is an expression of Kerala politics. There has been a tradition of bringing such people forward in the politics here. My aspiration is that more people like Oom Chandy come forward. Let me tell you, I came in contact with Oomon Chandy ji in the early stages of my career, and I have to say that I have learned a lot from him.
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Rahul said that I just saw the program of Coccellier Implant which we had given to some children. Just think: What do you think how many votes will you get from this program? Not much, because it is a rare problem. But why did Chandy bring this program? Because he wanted every child in Kerala to hear the voice of others: Once again, the politics of realizing that you can keep yourself the place of a small child who cannot hear. I fight ideologically with RSS and CPM. And I also fight them in the field of thoughts and speech. But my biggest complaint from him is that he has no feeling for people.
The former Congress president said that you can give speeches and views whatever you want, but if you do not feel for people, if you are not ready to join people, or if you cannot help people, you cannot become a leader. So this is my biggest complaint: if you are in politics, then you feel what people are thinking and you listen to them. Today, in Indian politics, it is the tragedy that very few people feel what other people are feeling.
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He said that it is an honor for me to come here and talk to you about Omm Chandy. The word ‘Guru’ is used in India. It does not mean teacher. The teacher is the one who explains something to you, or perhaps gives you some information, or teaches you something. But the Guru is the one who really shows you direction from his actions. So in many ways, Chandy ji is the gurus of me and many people from Kerala. He showed us direction not by talking or thoughts, but with his actions. So when his son called me and asked him to come to the ceremony – I came to my mind before I respond that it would be a matter of respect for me to go to my Guru’s ceremony.