Opt between ideologies of fear and communal harmony: Sonia tells Gujarat voters

Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Saturday urged the people of Gujarat to choose between ideologies of fear and illusion and communal harmony and development.

Mandvi (Gujarat), Dec 8 : Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Saturday urged the people of Gujarat to choose between ideologies of "fear and illusion" and "communal harmony and development".

At a public rally here, Sonia said, "There are two ideologies before you. One stands for creating fear and illusion and the other for communal harmony and development. If you want communal harmony and development, then vote for the Congress."

Attacking the BJP's Narendra Modi government in the State, Sonia said that there exists an "atmosphere of violence and pain" with the law and order situation deteriorating.

"Gujarat Government has adopted a policy of discrimination in protecting the people," she said, adding, "BJP is one party that has always in the name of progress played with the faith of the people and betrayed them. Be it workers, government officials or the common man, they have hurt sentiments. The party is responsible for spreading communal disharmony."

She also indirectly hinted at Modi's recent remark of justifying the fake encounter of Sohrabuddin Sheikh, and said, "Further, they (BJP) have made a mockery of the legal system."

Accusing the BJP for not being bothered about the welfare of farmers and tribals in the State, she said that atrocities on tribals have increased, and women and even children are not safe in Gujarat.

"There are backlog in vacancies in government jobs for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (SCs/STs). The State Government has closed down the forest cooperatives," she said, adding that the BJP makes lots of promises and announcements, which later turn out to be just hollow.

She also accused the State Government for failing to provide money granted by Centre for poor people of Gujarat.

"Most of the development in Gujarat was due to the policies of the previous Congress governments and the hard work by the people of the state," she said.

"You should ask the BJP Government to account for the money it received from the Centre for development works," she added.

On the BJP's allegation that the Congress party has been going soft on terror, Sonia in another rally in Kheda said that her husband, Rajiv Gandhi died in a terrorist attack.

ANI