Centre's approach to major issues chaotic: Sonia

By Sujay Mehdudia

NEW DELHI, AUG. 19. The Congress president, Ms. Sonia Gandhi, today charged the NDA Government with compromising the country's internal security which had led to escalation of terrorist violence in Jammu and Kashmir and sharp rise in insurgency in the North-East States.

Warning the Centre of the ``growing unrest'' in the country against its performance, she said: ``They went to the Agra summit without any preparation. The talks failed and nothing came out of it. We are not against the process of dialogue but the Union Government has shown a totally confused and chaotic approach to major issues which had eroded the standing of the country at the international level.''

Ms. Gandhi was addressing a massive ``Dalit Chunauti Rally'' organised by the Delhi Pradesh Congress at Sultanpuri on the eve of the 57th birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. The rally, convened by the former MLA and Dalit leader, Mr. Jaikishen, was attended by Delhi Government Ministers, MLAs, Councillors and party leaders. The Chief Minister, Ms. Sheila Dikshit, could not attend the rally as she was unwell.

She said the Centre's policies had put the country behind by years. The situation in Jammu and Kashmir had deteriorated and militants continued to massacre innocent people, with the Centre watching helplessly. The North-East was also burning due to its directionless and unimaginative policies. The economic situation had gone from bad to worse with people suffering under the impact of increase in prices and decline in earnings.

Referring to the BJP, she said the party which had promised a clean and healthy administration was today involved neck deep in corruption. It had been rocked by multi-crore scams in which the money of the poor citizens had been swindled under the very eyes of the Government. They had accused Rajiv Gandhi of corruption, today they themselves are caught, Ms. Gandhi said.

She said since the NDA came to power, atrocities against Dalits and minorities had increased and the Government had failed to initiate any action. She demanded that all the notifications issued by the Centre in recent months putting hurdles in the path of promotional and employment opportunities of the Dalits and Scheduled Tribes be withdrawn immediately.

On Constitutional review, Ms. Gandhi said her party would oppose any attempt to tamper with or change the Constitution. The BJP had set in motion this exercise to deprive the Dalit and other sections of their rightful share guaranteed by the Constitution whose architect was Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, she said.

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