launching a strident attack on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Sunday took a jibe at Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP Government for having failed the people of Delhi in its 49 days’ rule. Taking pot shots at the AAP Government, the Congress president said that “running a Government is not an easy task and we saw that recently in Delhi”.
lambasting the BJP, she pooh-poohed its brand of patriotism. “Patriotism was not the sole property of few people and if one was really interested in knowing what nationalism was all about, they must read the history of Congress that was replete with sacrifices for the country,” she said, while addressing her first public rally in Delhi at Ajmal Khan Park, Karol Bagh after announcement of lok Sabha elections where 10,000-12,000 people were present. Karol Bagh Parliamentary constituency comes falling under New Delhi Parliamentary constituency. It may be recalled that former Prime Minister late Indira Gandhi had addressed a public rally after emergency in 1979 and the party considers it a lucky ground. Considering it a lucky mascot, the party has decided a public rally at the same ground in the wake of ‘anti-Congress wave’ in the country. Several senior Congress leaders and all candidates of Delhi were present in the rally.
Without naming Kejriwal and his party, Gandhi said that some people think running a government is child’s play. “Running a Government is not easy as you must have recently seen in Delhi. Congress party knew how to run the Government and it is running since Independence,” she said. AAP, which created history with its triumphant win in Delhi Assembly elections, is aiming big in the lok Sabha elections too. Trying to keep up the spirit of Congress which is fast losing ground in the country, Sonia made a direct attack on AAP which gave it a severe blow in Assembly polls.
Gandhi also criticised the BJP, saying: “Some people are beating the drum of patriotism... You tell me if those who don’t believe in secular values can grasp the spirit of patriotismIJ No, they can’t. They want to grab power for themselves and their people by misleading you,” she said.
“People with bad intention would lead the country and society to destruction and darkness... I have faith in your wisdom. I am sure you won’t make any mistake and support the Congress,” she said. The BJP’s ideology spreads extremism, ‘divides’ society and pits one brother against another, while the Congress believed in keeping the society together and looks at everybody as one, she said. “Congress wishes well to even its adversaries,” she said.
Though she didn’t name Modi, her reference was clearly to him as he had few days back attacked AK Antony and termed him a Pakistani agent. Gandhi said patriotism flows in the veins of the Congress and one can learn it from the “sacrifices” made by her party leaders.
She termed the lok Sabha polls as the clash between two ideologies and asked people to defeat the BJP’s extremist and divisive ideology. Congress, she said, symbolizes inclusiveness and equity.
In a bid to woo its traditional vote bank which has deserted it during the recent Assembly polls, the Congress president highlighted laws enacted by the UPA Government banning manual-scavenging and giving legal status to street vendors. “Police and administration would no longer trouble hawkers,” she said. Reaching out to Muslims, she said the UPA Government has implemented most of the recommendations of the Sachchar Committee. If voted to power, she said, Congress would provide health security to people and pension to the needy.
Recalling the Ganga-Yamuna tradition, Gandhi said that for her, the Ganga-Yamuna tradition was a reference to India’s inclusive culture, and was more important than power and people with “bad” intentions could play havoc with this. Congress candidates Sandeep Dikshit, Ajay Maken and Delhi Congress president Arvinder Singh lovely, AICC general secretary and in charge of Delhi affairs Shakeel Ahmed also addressed the rally.