Congress national general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who is also party’s in-charge of Uttar Pradesh, made fierce attacks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath by communicating live on Facebook.
She said that Yogi Adityanath talked about controlling the “power” of women and this explained the ideology and mentality of the Bharatiya Janata Party leaders, Yogi Adityanath and his party towards women.
"I do not agree with the BJP leaders. Women's power can change the country, women's power, their compassion, love, conscience, perseverance are their special qualities. Who is Yogi Adityanath, the one who controls the power of women?" she questioned on Tuesday.
Appealing to vote and support Congress candidates in the assembly polls, Priyanka Vadra said, "I want to tell my sisters that where there are women candidates, you should support them. Their struggle is your struggle too. Those who have reached here today have struggled a lot."
Attacking the law and order situation in UP, she said that many Congress candidates were tortured by the police and the government. "We have decided that we will snatch power from their hands and give it to those whom you have tortured," she added.
On the controversy surrounding Congress's decision to field actor-model Archana Gautam from Hastinapur constituency, Priyanka Gandhi said, "Why are such questions not asked from PM Narendra Modi? Why are only women targeted for wearing bikinis and clothes."
Priyanka further said that the BJP wanted to portray Archana Gautam as a lightweight candidate. "However, if there was a man in her place, no one would ask him this question even if he belonged to any other party," she said.
The Congress leader said that Archana Gautam had reached this place after a lot of struggle but now mud was being thrown at her and the way the media was asking questions. “I want such politics in which there is positive talk, in which there is talk of development, in which there is talk of yours. The opposition may think that our candidates are weak, but we have given them tickets so that those who are suffering and struggling in their lives can be strengthened," the Congress leader said.
In response to a question, she said that the women's marathon had to be cancelled due to COVID-19, but the party had decided to conduct online competitions. "Any of you girls who are excited about it can participate online. The difference between our politics and that of other parties is that we understand that we are accountable to you. Those who are not accountable, are seeking votes on the basis of caste and religion. But we are accountable to the public so we have to act," she said.
Targeting Prime Minister Modi, Priyanka Vadra said, "We understand that working for you is our duty, our religion. We don't show favours in return for work. Vaccine manufacturing started at the time of Congress, our view was that this is the need of the country. We did not do favours. Foundation stones are being laid before the elections, but they do not tell what happened in the last five-seven years. They ask what happened in 70 years, but they do not tell what they themselves did. The foundation on which we stand today has been laid in the last 70 years".
She said that the biggest challenge was that the purpose of politics should be positive. “The politics of development is important and can be achieved by ending the politics of partition. We also have an economic challenge about how our youth should get employment, better health and education,” she added.
It may be mentioned that ahead of the upcoming Uttar Pradesh assembly election, the Congress launched its virtual campaign "Priyanka Ke Saath Live" on Tuesday. During the 30-minute Facebook Live session, Priyanka interacted with people and answered their queries. In response to a question on her childhood, Priyanka said there were many fights with her brother Rahul Gandhi. Sometimes, their father Rajiv Gandhi had to intervene to stop the tussle between siblings, she said. Priyanka said she still helped her children do their homework despite being busy with political activities and campaigns.
Responding to a question why the party gave ticket to the mother of Unnao rape victim along with an ASHA worker, Priyanka Gandhi said, "Because of the struggle that these women have faced, my party thought that they deserved a chance to fight for their right by entering politics and the party would provide them the resources that they need to fight and win the elections."
Due to an increase in Covid cases, Priyanka, after consulting with Uttar Pradesh Congress leaders, stopped physical mega-rallies, chaupals, samvads, and marathons in the poll-bound state.
Meanwhile Priyanka on Tuesday attacked the Yogi Adityanath government over the issues of employment and education, and urged the youth to stick to this agenda in the upcoming assembly polls.
Citing a media report, Priyanka said that in Uttar Pradesh, 16.5 lakh youth lost their jobs in the last five years and four crore people gave up hope of jobs.
“But @myogiadityanath ji neither talks nor tweets on this. Because he knows that if the curtain is lifted then the secret will be revealed,” the Congress general secretary said in a tweet in Hindi.
“Youngsters stick to the agenda of employment,” she said.
In another tweet in Hindi, Priyanka alleged that the Yogi Adityanath government made “massive” cuts in the education budget of Uttar Pradesh in five years. “If the budget would have been more, then the youth would have gotten new universities, internet, scholarships, libraries and hostels,” she said.
“Youngsters, this is the real agenda of this election. Ask questions on this and give a befitting reply with the power of your vote to the one who misleads you,” she said.