Speech

Spell Out Your `Rajdharma', - Sonia Gandhi asks PM

The Congress President, Smt. Sonia Gandhi started her `Jan Sampark Abhiyan' from Jodhpur, Rajasthan
on 17 September, 2003. Excerpts of her speech :

JODHPUR: The Congress President, Smt. Sonia Gandhi, launched a frontal attack on the Prime Minister, asking him to spell out clearly his `Rajdharma' in the light of Supreme Court's observation about Gujarat govt's handling of post-riot cases and categorically asserting that her party can never match tune with a party "which stands for destruction, communal hatred and political opportunism".

Addressing a mammoth public rally at Purana Stadium immediately after unveiling the statue of Rajiv Gandhi at Nai Sarak crossing here on 17 Sept., during the start of her `Jan Sampark Abhiyan' she asked how can the Congress match tunes with a party which stands for hatred and destruction.

Charging the BJP-led NDA govt. with failing to deliver on any front, the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha said the country's prestige has been lowered during the present regime's rule due to corruption, Defence scams and wrong policies.

"Look at the farmers' plight, increasing unemployment, heightened terrorism, it has been an all round failure," she said adding her party and late Rajiv Gandhi always stood for all-round development, secularism and ensuring weaker sections got their dues.

But unfortunately, Rajiv Gandhi was snatched away from us before he could fulfill all his dreams for the country. It is now for us and youths to carry forward his unfinished task, she said, assuring that my party will stand with you in making a new history for the country to take it on top.

She also flayed the Dy Prime Minister, Shri L.K. Advani, for calling her `a liar' and said people would soon prove who is telling a lie. She said this in the context of her no-confidence motion in Parliament. In fact, the Govt. just did not have a reply to my 9-point motion', she added.

She recalled Rajiv Gandhi's contribution in ensuring women had a greater role in Panchayati Raj institutions and also recalled his love for the state of Rajasthan. He visited as PM, this state when it was facing drought, even I have toured your state extensively during this year's severe drought. But she regretted that no BJP leader or minister had time to visit the state. In fact, despite indifferent attitude of the Centre, the State Govt. has effeciently managed the drought relief works, she said amid applauds.

At a meeting earlier in Nagaur district, about 130 km from here, she asked Shri Vajpayee to clearly spell out his `Rajdharma' in the light of apex court's observations on Gujarat. The court's observation have vindicated our stand that this BJP government is for clinging to power by dividing people on communal lines and not interested in performing its role as a Govt. for which it had been chosen by people.

Smt. Gandhi said it was BJP's old habit to always blame Congress for their own misdeeds. But we have always worked for the uplift of the poor and the downtrodden and have never indulged in politics of hatred or divide, she said.

At Nagaur, on repeated demands, she asked the Chief Minister, Shri Ashok Gehlot, to conduct a survey to ensure that Nagaur starts getting water from Rajasthan Canal at the earliest.

Shri Gehlot, during his speech, thanked Smt. Gandhi for her efforts for ensuring that Centre gave his state drought relief. The PCC Chief, Dr. Girija Vyas and AICC general secretary _ incharge of the state affairs, Smt. Ambika Soni, were among those on the dais.

Earlier, Smt. Gandhi started in the morning from Bikaner and her first event was to visit the famous Karni Devi temple at Deshnor. She stopped at over 20 places during her 250-km long drive from Bikaner to Jodhpur. Thousands of people turned up to greet her on the entire route. Seeing the enthusiastic crowds, she often got down from her car and interacted with the people, at times, much to the discomfort of security personnel.

The reception she got at Jodhpur was overwhelming. Her motorcade was showered with flower petals right from the moment she entered the Jodhpur city, Assembly constituency of the Chief Minister, till the meeting venue.

Projecting the Congress as a party that represented the voice of the poor, adivasis, women and the common man, she charged the NDA Govt. with having no long-term policy for the development of the country. She said NDA rule was marked by rampant corruption, growing unemployment, misrule, social disharmony and increasing terrorism. "Such a party has no right to point an accusing finger at the Congress," she added.

An atmosphere of fear had been created while unemployment and corruption were on the rise ever since the NDA Govt. came to power, reversing the BJPs slogan to remove `Bhay, bhook aur bhrashtachar," Smt Gandhi said.

Calling for more opportunities to be given to women and youth in the health and education sectors, she said about ten lakh women had benefited with the implementation of the Panchayati Raj system in the country. The youth were going astray and needed to be guided properly, she observed.

Smt. Gandhi said the Congress had been insisting that justice could not be ensured in the absence of the rule of law in Gujarat. This point had now been vindicated after the recent observations of the apex court.

The Congress President also highlighted the developmental work done in Rajasthan by the Ashok Gehlot govt., stressing that it had displayed great sensitivity towards people's welfare during the past four years of drought.