VALSAD, Apr 24: Launching a scathing attack at BJP over its development model, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi today alleged that the BJP was claiming that “heaven will come down to the earth” if they are voted to power but they are hiding the fact that their “model state of development” Gujarat was reeling under a debt of Rs 1.75 lakh crore. Kicking off her party’s campaign for the general elections in the home turf of BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, Ms Gandhi said every second child under the age of five years in the state was malnourished and the state’s school drop out rate was the highest in the country.
‘The State Government doesn’t consider poor a person who is earning Rs 11 a day,’ the Congress chief said addressing a rally in Valsad.
Ms Gandhi said many villages in Gujarat were not getting proper drinking water.
Launching a scathing attack on the BJP, the Congress chief said the saffron party’s leaders were only concerned about power and not the poor people.
She also said the BJP was making baseless allegations against the Congress-led UPA Government at the Centre. ‘The BJP has crossed all the limits of corruption but they are making baseless allegations against the Congress. The Congress has given an effective weapon to deal with corruption in the form of the Right to Information. We have taken strict action against the corrupt,’ she stated.
‘But has the BJP done such things? Why did it take ten years for Gujarat to appoint a Lokayukta? Was it because the BJP was trying to cover up their corruption?’ Congress chief Sonia Gandhi commented.
Ms Gandhi alleged that the BJP believes in divisive ideology. ‘They don’t believe in Ganga-Jamuna culture. They spread hatred, parochialism and fundamentalism. This ideology is dangerous for the country. I am confident that you will defeat such forces,’
She appealed to the people to vote for the Congress. The Congress chief said the UPA Government has been working for welfare of every section of the society. ‘The UPA Government under the leadership of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh brought 14 crore people above poverty line. It has earmarked Rs 36,000 crore for welfare of women through women self-help groups. Besides, Rs 55,000 crore was given as educational loan. Free education was given under Right to Education. We also brought in the Food Security Bill,’ she added. The Congress chief further said the UPA Government also passed Land Acquisition Bill to protect the farmers. (UNI)
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