Sonia grills Badal for poor growth
Kicks off campaign in Punjab, Haryana
From A.S. Prashar
Tribune News Service

LUDHIANA, Aug 25 — The Congress President, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, today attacked the Badal government for "failing to carry out any developmental activities in Punjab even though the SAD was a partner in the government at the Centre".

Addressing a big election rally in support of the Congress candidates in Ludhiana and the surrounding parliamentary constituencies, Mrs Gandhi said corruption was rampant, crime was growing and unemployment spreading in Punjab but the government of the day seemed to be oblivious of all these problems. Peace had descended on Punjab after years of violence,she pointed out , adding that the need of the hour was to step up developmental activities, offer gainful employment to the youth and provide protection to women.

The city of Ludhiana,which was the industrial hub of the state, required special attention and the government should have framed proper schemes for its development and growth. But nothing of the sort had been done.

The people of Punjab as indeed, of the entire country were yearning for a change. It was therefore for the people to wield their weapon properly by exercising their right to franchise to throw out an incompetent government. The country needed a strong, stable and competent government which would not play with the emotions of the people and try to mislead and misguide them by highlighting wrong issues.

Striking a personal note, Mrs Gandhi claimed that she had a "special relationship" with Punjab. "And this relationship is so strong and special that it will endure even though there is a rupture", she said in an apparent reference to "Operation Bluestar" and the subsequent assassination of her mother-in-law, Mrs Indira Gandhi. She said she also shared another bond with Punjab because just as the people had suffered at the hands of violent forces, she too had been a victim of violence. "And only a victim can understand the agony of another victim", she said, adding that she was grateful to Punjab, as indeed, to the entire country for accepting her as its own and giving her all love and affection.

Mrs Gandhi’s rally was held in the playground of the Government College for Boys which also served as the venue of Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee’s rally on August 7. Therefore, comparison between the two were inevitable. The crowd at Mrs Gandhi’s rally was much smaller than the one present at Mr Vajpayee. It also did not seem to be very enthusiastic although there was a fair amount of slogan shouting. It had a fair sprinkling of women.

The Punjab PCC chief, Capt Amarinder Singh, who also addressed the rally briefly later told TNS that today’s poll rally had been organised at a short notice. Therefore, the party could not undertake full mobilisation of the party workers and the masses. "We will show our strength in the Patiala rally due to be held on August 28", he declared.

Mrs Gandhi said an 18-party coalition which represented the Vajpayee government could never be stable and provide a proper direction to the country. Now the number of coalition partners had increased to 22 and she wondered how long it would last if it succeeded in forming a government. Theirs was an opportunist alliance. They had come together only for power and would go their separate ways after enjoying the fruits of power.

She alleged that under the Vajpayee government, atrocities on minorities had increased. Everybody was aware of the "Telecom scandal".

Earlier, Mrs Gandhi began her speech with Sat Sri Akal. She was presented "siropas" by Capt Amarinder Singh, Mr Harmandir Singh, President DCC(U) and Mr Surinder Dawar, President DCC (U). She also introduced the party candidates Mr Gurcharan Singh Galib (Ludhiana), Mrs Santosh Chaudhary (Phallaur), Mr Balbir Singh (Jalandhar), Mr Raghunandanlal Bhatia (Amritsar) and Mr Rakesh Pande (Ludhiana-north Assembly constituency).

Vimal Sumbly adds from Hisar: The Congress president, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, on Wednesday launched a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party-led coalition government blaming it for the Kargil crisis and said only the Congress could provide a strong and stable government that can last five years.

Addressing a well attended election rally in support of the Congress candidate from here, Mr Birender Singh, she said, "while our bus was moving towards Lahore, the intruders were entrenching themselves in Kargil". She expressed surprise over the way, the government was trying to claim credit for the sacrifices of our brave soldiers.

She said, the government should rather feel ashamed for trying to conceal their failures behind the success and the sacrifices of our great soldiers. Mrs Gandhi started her 15-minute speech, "saluting the great soldiers who laid down their lives to safeguard the integrity of the country". She pointed out that the government was trying to exploit the sentiments of the people.

Without naming the BJP, Mrs Gandhi said, some parties had the history of exploiting the sentiments of people in the name of religion. "It is their old habit and old habits die hard", she observed. In an obvious reference to the BJP and its leader Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, she said, it was a false mask they were wearing, reminding the people about the rath yatras and the atrocities committed on the minorities in this regime.

She asked, how could the country’s integrity and sovereignty be safe when the country’s Defence Minister was busy for the full 13 months to defend the collapsing coalition. Instead of taking care of the defence of the country, he was entrusted with the job of defending the government, the Congress president pointed out.

Making a passionate appeal to the people to vote for the Congress to ensure its return power so that the country was again put on the road to progress and development. It was during the regimes of the Congress prime ministers only that India could achieve great progress. "Now, you see it yourself what is the plight of the nation".

Mrs Gandhi assured all-round development for the next five years. She said the Congress was committed to provide better healthcare, education, drinking water and employment. Besides, she said her party would ensure the empowerment of women and other weaker sections of the society. It was the Congress government only, which had provided reservation to these sections in local bodies. The party favoured reservation for women in other legislative bodies also. But this needed a strong and stable government, which can be provided by the Congress only.

Referring to Haryana, she said, the state made huge strides in the field of agriculture and other fields only when there was a Congress government. All the non-Congress governments had proved a failure and people have suffered a great deal. The Congress would also launch a comprehensive crop insurance scheme for farmers and also double the amount of loan for small and marginal farmers.

She concluded her speech in Indira Gandhi’s style saying Jai Hind thrice with enthusiastic response from the public. She was accompanied by her son Rahul.

Sidelights
From Tribune Reporters

HISAR: The mutual dislike of former Chief Minister Bhajan Lal and the Pradesh Congress Committee President Bhupinder Singh Hooda became public here today at Mrs Sonia Gandhi's election rally.

Despite a good presence of people the Congress candidate from Hisar, Mr Birender Singh, may not be too happy, as the traditional rivals in the Haryana Congress did not hesitate to show their hostility towards each other in full public view.

When Mr Hooda who was conducting the stage completed his welcome address Mr Bhajan Lal who was sitting at the dais stood to speak but Mr Hooda called Mr Birender Singh. After Mr Birender Singh completed his lecture, Mr Bhajan Lal stood up again, obviously with the purpose to speak. But again Mr Hooda prevented him by straightway announcing that Mrs Gandhi will speak now.

Mr Birender Singh obviously felt uncomfortable with Mr Bhajan Lal's discomfiture. However, he managed to save the situation by calling Mr Bhajan Lal to present vote of thanks. Since it was the turn of Mr Bhajan Lal, it did not take him long to avenge his insult. After concluding his speech, he appealed people to ensure the victory of Congress candidates Mr Birender Singh from Hisar and Mr Dharamvir from Bhiwani even forgetting his own name. He returned to the mike instantly appealing people to vote for Mr Om Prakash Keharwala from Sirsa and himself from Karnal. However, he ensured that no one mention the name of Mr Hooda who is contesting from Rohtak.

LUDHIANA: The Congress President, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, arrived at the venue at 6.10 p.m., three hours behind schedule. She was accompanied by her son, Mr Rahul Gandhi, who was sporting a pink turban.

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A huge pandal with the capacity of 1 lakh people had been erected and 12 enclosures were made. Most of the audience comprised of urbanites and local people.

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Mrs Gandhi's speech in chaste Hindi lasted 10 minutes. Flags of the Congress, the CPI and the CPM were fluttering in the pandal.

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The Ludhiana district Congress (rural) and Ludhiana district Congress (urban) chiefs, Mr Harminder Singh and Mr Surinder Dawar, respectively, presented siropa to Mr Rahul Gandhi and Mrs Sonia Gandhi.