launching blistering attack on BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi’s much talked about ‘Gujarat Model’ of development, just 26 km from his birthplace Vadnagar, Sonia Gandhi taunted, “Oh God! Please save the nation from such model.”
While addressing a public rally on Thursday, at Kheralu in North Gujarat after the election dates were announced, All India Congress Committee (AICC) president Sonia Gandhi said the people of Gujarat are facing water scarcity, malnutrition is a burning issue, dropout rates are higher and here a family does not consider poor if its income is more than Rs11. “Is this the development model he (Modi) talks aboutIJ” asked the UPA chairperson to the audiences
at Kheralu Commerce College ground.
BJP’s only agenda is to make wrong allegations on the Congress party in order to misguide people, she said while accused Modi of being concerned only about chair and not the people. “BJP says that Congress has not done anything. Then from where all these dam, technology institutes, industrialisation came. Under whose Government ‘Green Revolution’ and ‘White Revolution’ occurred and the country became atomic power,” she said, adding that it was her party which was instrumental in the foundation of the State’s industrialisation process.
She claimed that as opposed to the Congress’ ideology which seeks to unite the nation and brings in harmony between different faiths and religion, BJP’s ideology smacks of cruelty which is harmful for the nation. “Can our country remain safe and secure in such people’s handIJ” she asked the people, saying that it is up to you which way you want to go. The 2014 general elections are being fought between two ideologies, she said and appealed people to shun forces which nurture radical views.
Talking about the UPA Government’s achievements in the last one decade, Sonia Gandhi said that the Congress-led Government not only waived farmers’ loans but also ensured 100 days employment for crore of people through NREGA. “We empowered the people through Right to Information Act (RTI). Besides, introduced Domestic Violence Act, Right to Education, Food Security Bill and many other public oriented measures,” she added.
Earlier in the day, Sonia Gandhi also addressed a rally at Valasad in South Gujarat.