The Hindu : Sonia accuses BJP of promoting ''divisive forces"

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jul 13, 2002

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National

Sonia accuses BJP of promoting ''divisive forces"

By Our Staff Correspondent

BHIRANI JULY 12. The Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, today accused the BJP-led Government in the Centre of promoting "divisive tendencies" by its acts and omissions and said that those breaking the unity of the people by resorting to communalism were ``enemies of the nation.''

Addressing a public rally in this town of northern Rajasthan after dedicating the Siddhamukh-Nohar Large Irrigation project to the people, Ms. Gandhi said that the happenings in Gujarat were a warning signal for the entire country. ``Gujarat is still passing through a dangerous phase,'' she said, regretting that the Centre was supporting the Government there.

The Congress president alleged that important sectors such as agriculture, trade and industry were in complete disarray and that the ``atmosphere of insecurity'' in the country was adversely affecting investments. ``The Government has failed to realise that unity and integrity are significant factors necessary for development.'' In the Congress-ruled States, the Chief Ministers had been directed to pay maximum attention to development activities and redressing of people's grievances even if it involved reduction in official expenditures. Ms. Gandhi has reviewed the work of the party's Chief Ministers thrice during the past year-and-a-half.

On the problems in Rajasthan, Ms. Gandhi said that the crops in the border districts had been damaged following the Army deployment, but the Centre's assistance to farmers did not match the State Government's demand.

The 491-km Siddhamukh-Nohar project has been commissioned at a cost of Rs. 309 crores to supply water to 113 villages in Hanumangarh and Churu districts. Its foundation stone was laid by the former Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi, in October 1989.

The project — which utilises Rajasthan's share in the Ravi-Beas waters — is expected to benefit an area measuring 1.12 lakh hectares in the two districts.

Though the water in the canal was released for the Bhadra, Mohar and Rajgarh tehsils in May this year, the dedication ceremony was organised today as a symbolic gesture.

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