Faced with sustained attack from the Bharatiya Janata Party, Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Saturday lashed out at the main opposition party, charging it with being 'stubbornly uncooperative' and 'obstructive' in Parliament and trying to gain political mileage even out of terrorist attacks.
With an eye on the upcoming assembly elections in Gujarat, she slammed the saffron party saying Mahatma Gandhi's ideas, ideals and institutions are 'under sustained assault in the state of his birth itself and in other BJP-ruled states.'
In her inaugural address at the All India Congress Committee session in New Delhi, she asked Congress members to 'be in the forefront to combat those who subvert' the Father of the Nation's legacy and 'those who seek to rewrite his life's work and accomplishments.'
Sonia devoted substantial time in her address in attacking the saffron party for playing 'obstructive' and 'partisan' politics.
"The achievements of our government so far are all the more creditable given the stubbornly uncooperative attitude of the BJP in Parliament. No words are strong enough to condemn the BJP's attacks on our prime minister and on our party," she said.
"The Congress was also in the Opposition, but we never acted beyond reasonable limits and always strived to maintain the dignity and decorum of Parliament," she reminded the BJP.
On matters of national interest, the Congress had always extended its hand of support, she added.
Referring to the BJP's role in Parliament, the Congress president said unlike during the National Democratic Alliance rule, the United Progressive Alliance government had 'again and again' offered the opportunity for debate and discussion on issues of public importance.
"Nevertheless, the BJP and its allies continue to be obstructive. However, we have not been deterred. We are determined to redeem our pledges," she asserted.
Claiming that the situation in Jammu and Kashmir had improved considerably, she said: "Despite terrorist attacks the people of the country should be congratulated for maintaining peace and communal harmony."
"Our coalition government has never tried to gain mileage out of these terrorist attacks unlike the previous BJP-led NDA government whose policy was to do so," she added.
Earlier, Sonia hoisted the party flag at the sprawling Talkatora Stadium, the venue of the day-long meet. Rahul Gandhi, who is attending an AICC meeting for the first time after his induction into the party as general secretary, is scheduled to address the meet at around 1400 hours .
The highlight of the session will be adoption of an 'omnibus' resolution on political, economic and international issues, besides incorporating a few amendments to the party's constitution. Besides the omnibus resolution, there will be three special resolutions on centenary of Mahatma Gandhi's Satyagraha, 150 years of First War of Independence and the 60 years of Indian Independence.
The session is being attended by about 2200 AICC members, including party MPs, party's ministers in the UPA government, chief ministers and Congress Legislature Party leaders.