launching a direct attack on Chhattisgarh’s BJP Government, Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Thursday charged that the promises made by the Saffron brigade to the people of Chhattisgarh were deceptive and far from reality.
“Except hollow assurances they have nothing to offer to the masses as they believe in misleading people and dividing them on communal lines in total contrast to the Congress which always united the people. Performance wise was also, the Chhattisgarh Government failed miserably even in implementing the central schemes effectively,’’ Gandhi claimed at a massive rally in Naxal-hit Kondagaon in restive Bastar region.
In a brief speech she added, “The persistent poverty among masses in Chhattisgarh is the result of ill governance. Even after getting huge assistance from Centre the state is lacking in every sector whether it’s health, education, industry, social welfare or safety and security of people. If there is no safety or security system in place, there will hardly be any development.”
Gandhi reminded the people that while the Congress history was strewn with sacrifices, BJP is credited to spoiling the social amity. “We (Congress) always unite people while they (BJP) believe in pitting one against another,” she charged. The Congress President said that out of 13 years of creation of Chhattisgarh, BJP ruled the state for 10 years but failed to achieve the desired quantum of development only due to its inefficiency.
“The Central Government extended huge assistance for implementing the welfare schemes. On the other hand, the state government though drummed up all these schemes as its own and claimed the credit but miserably failed in even implementing them effectively,’’ Gandhi pooh-poohed the BJP Government’s claims.
She exerted that exploitation of mineral resources was inevitable for the development of the nation, but acquisition of land should not be forcible and without proper rehabilitation. Taking a dig at the lack of security system, Gandhi said while the entire state leadership of the Congress was wiped out in Jeeram Valley carnage in May this year, the BJP government was terming it as mere a security lapse. She further said that there (Congress leaders) martyrdom could not be forgotten.
Counting the achievements of the UPA government at the Centre, she urged the masses to vote in favour of Congress candidates and help in ending the corrupt BJP regime. All India Congress Committee Treasurer Motilal Vora, AICC General Secretary and Chhattisgarh in-charge BK Hariprasad, Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee president Charandas Mahant, Member of Parliament Mohsina Kidwai, AICC Secretary Bhakta Charan Das and several other state leaders also addressed the meeting.