Speaking at a discourse on 'Culture, Deepening Democracy and Most Marginalised Communities', Rahul Gandhi said, "Poverty is just a state of mind. It does not mean the scarcity of food, money or material things. If one possesses self-confidence, then one can overcome poverty," Gandhi was quoted. Going further, Gandhi cited the example of a poor woman in Amethi who took control of her life, both financially and socially, by getting associated with a self-help group, Rajiv Gandhi Mahila Vikas Pariyojana.
Political leaders said the statement showed how much the Gandhi scion was cut off from the ground reality. BJP spokesman Pathak said Gandhi's statement smacked of arrogance and added, "This is not only sad but also makes mockery of the poor,".
BSP leader Siddiqui said the Congress leader was ignorant and did not know the ground situation. He said, “He comes from a billionaire family and many generations in the Gandhi Nehru family have not seen poverty even from a distance. So they cannot be blamed for their poor knowledge," .
People at India Honest will wonder, "Is this the ideology, of a prospective aspirant and claimant to become the controlling head of India as its Prime Minister, has in his mind about the most burning problem in the heart of COMMON MAN : the eradication of poverty to live and survive with "Dignity" , not dependent on doles after 65 years of Independence" ?