The Hindu : Sonia, Modi trade charges

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Dec 06, 2002

National

National

Sonia, Modi trade charges

By Manas Dasgupta

AMRELI (GUJARAT) Dec. 5. The BJP and the Congress today traded charges at Babra, a small town in Amreli district in the Saurashtra region, which witnessed the Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, and the Chief Minister, Narendra Modi, addressing election meetings the same day.

Ms. Gandhi, on the second leg of her campaign for the December 12 Assembly elections, ridiculed the BJP's charge that the Congress was encouraging terrorism. The BJP was raking up the issue only to divert the people's attention from the more pressing needs and the non-performance of its Government.

She said the Congress did not need any lesson from the BJP in terrorism, as her party was the worst sufferer having lost two of its Prime Ministers in terrorist attacks. It had always co-operated with the Centre in the fight against terrorism, but due to the BJP's ``inept handling'' terrorism was thriving in the country.

Apparently ridiculing Mr. Modi's ``gaurav rath yatra'', Ms. Gandhi said Gujarat's ``gaurav'' (pride) was not in the politics of hatred and communal violence but in increasing industrial and agricultural production, providing employment, ensuring justice to each citizen and securing for farmers a remunerative return for their produce.

She said Gujarat could have taken pride during Rajiv Gandhi's tenure as Prime Minister as he had taken a keen interest in the development of the State and stood by its people during drought and other calamities. She claimed only the Congress would be able to provide a Government committed to peace, progress and security as against the ``cult of violence and fear'' perpetrated by the BJP administration.

She held the State Government responsible for the people's sufferings in a series of natural calamities. After experiencing such a bad time, their expectations from the next Government would be high and this could be fulfilled only if the Congress was voted back to power.

Mr. Modi, who held a meeting at Babra a couple of hours later, hit back at the Congress saying the ``leaderless'' party did not have the capacity to fight terrorism and ensure security to the people of the State. Talking of peace did not suit the Congress leaders who had only encouraged ``goondas and mafias'' to rule the State in the past.

The Congress was responsible for the lack of peace and harmony and said only the BJP Government could ensure security and fight against terrorism in Gujarat.

He said not only the Congress, even other ``pseudo-secularists,'' fundamentalists and the ``enemies of Gujarat'' were wondering what would happen to them when the BJP retained power and if he continued as the Chief Minister. He alleged that the ``Congress was getting financial help from Pakistan'' to defeat the BJP and it would never be able to achieve this objective.

Both the meetings were well-attended. While Ms. Gandhi also addressed rallies at Navsari and Surat in the evening, Mr. Modi's itinerary included about half-a-dozen meetings at other places in Amreli, Bhavnagar and Rajkot districts, including Vallabhipur, Shihor, and Gondal.

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