Youth for youth: Rahul Gandhi backs Omar

Rahul Gandhi defended Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah by saing that Abdullah needs time and support, a day after the government decided to send a all party delegation to the Valley. "Kashmir is a tough and sensitive job and we have to give Omar time and support," said Gandhi while
addressing a media conference on the last day of this three-day visit to West Bengal.

He also emphasized as the head of the Youth Congress, he has a fulltime job at hand, which he takes seriously in reply to a question whether he is ready to intervene to solve the Kashmir problem as suggested by the PDP leader.

He arefused to answer a question on the AFSPA, arguing the Prime Minister and other leaders were more qualified to speak on this isuue.
'Failed ideology'
He tore apart the Left Front on Thursday saying Bengal's ruling coalition has been following a failed ideology that has brought ruin to the state that once led the country intellectually.

"The biggest problem of Bengal is the Left Front," said Gandhi.

"The leadership of Bengal is following by a failed ideology. Even the Cubans are changing," he said. The Left Front has been in power in West Bengal without a break since June 1977.

"When I go to China senior leaders ask me with a smile what is happening in Bengal. And these are senior Chinese leaders," said Gandhi.

On Congress relationship with Trinamool, Gandhi demanded that his party be given the respect it deserves.

There has been a growing protest from the ranks of the Congress that Mamata Banerjee has treated India's oldest party and the driver at the UPA government with scant respect, especially during the seat sharing before the 2009 Lok Sabha polls.

"I am not going to speak about the near past, I am going to speak of the future, Gandhi said when asked whether Trinamool has treated the Congress with lack of respect.

"We will partner Mamata Banerjee. But we will not do it without honour," he said.

"She has been opposing some of UPA's policies. We are a large party and we don't have a problem with difference of opinion. But we have a problem with disrespect," said Gandhi on the issue of Mamata criticizing many of UPA's policies.
"I don't kill people. The organization I am associated with doesn't kill people," was his quip when asked how he differentiated his stand from the Naxalites who were also fighting the cause of the tribals.
Recently Gandhi has been championing a lot of tribal causes, the most prominent of them being the fight against Vedanta project in Orissa's Niyamgiri hills.
On organization matters of the Youth Congress he said, "We will guarantee free and fair elections after the membership drive."