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BJP has failed to handle Pokhran fallout, says Sonia

Congress president Sonia Gandhi today accused the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government at the Centre of trying to destroy the country's secular fabric, and asserted that her party would never allow it.

Kicking off the Congress campaign for the November 25 assembly election in Rajasthan with a rally at Bikaner, Gandhi said her party had defeated the first attempt to "destroy" secularism by changing the education system.

She asserted that the Congress is committed to save the country's tradition of equal respect for all religions.

She said the BJP has neither a policy nor any definite programme, whereas the Congress has everything required to protect the country's unity and integrity.

Gandhi arrived at Naal airport in Bikaner at about 1215 hours to a warm welcome from supporters.

Accusing the government of adopting wrong priorities and resorting to populist policies to divert the people's attention from basic issues, she said the government could not even handle the post-Pokhran situation properly.

The government failed to tackle the sharp international reactions in the wake of the nuclear tests, and the fallout has hurt the process of development in the country, she said.

She also expressed unhappiness at the debate in various international fora on the country's domestic issues.

Expressing concern at the eroding faith of the people in different political parties, she said this was the result of non-fulfilment of promises by leaders of different parties.

She said she would make no promises for the assembly election at this stage, except to say "my party will show the people the difference between the Congress and the other political parties".

In her fifteen-minute speech, Gandhi recalled that the Congress had enough vision and will power to implement policies and programmes for the betterment of the people. Besides, the party possesses enormous talent and experienced leaders in every state capable of running the government well.

Alluding to Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's reasoning for the price rise, she said, "It is not the weather and Congress policies" which are responsible for the steep rise in prices of essential commodities, but New Delhi's failure to curb corruption and adulteration.

She said the government had failed to bring to book the culprits who adulterated edible oils. Instead, it had banned the sale of mustard oil, causing a loss to farmers, while the Bhairon Singh Shekhawat government in Rajasthan remained a "silent spectator".

She said the Shekhawat government could not even put forth the case of the producers of Bikaneri bhujia and papad when the Centre had decided to levy a tax on this cottage-industry produce from Rajasthan. Nor had it taken any action on the demand to set up a power plant and university in Bikaner.

Gandhi also accused the state government of doing nothing to provide relief to people in the 18 drought-hit districts of Rajasthan.

State Congress president Ashok Gehlot, former chief minister Jagannath Pahadia, former Union minister Balram Jakhar, and Mahila Congress state president Prabha Thakur also spoke at the rally. Congress general secretary Madhavrao Scindia and former deputy Union minister Shailja Kumar were present.

UNI

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