The Hindu : BJP creating atmosphere of fear: Sonia

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Dec 04, 2002

Front Page

Front Page

BJP creating atmosphere of fear: Sonia

By Manas Dasgupta

HADAD (GUJARAT) Dec. 3. The Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, today urged the Centre to take preventive steps when it was aware of the possibility of more terrorist attacks on temples. Apparently commenting on the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee's speech to this effect at a public meeting in Solan, Himachal Pradesh, Ms. Gandhi reiterated her party's total cooperation in meeting the terrorist threat and wondered what was preventing the Government from taking the necessary steps.

Launching her party's campaign for the Gujarat Assembly elections, Ms. Gandhi attacked the Chief Minister, Narendra Modi, for raising ``non-issues'' to distract people's attention from the BJP Government's ``dismal failures'' on all fronts. Without referring to Godhra or the post-Godhra riots, she said that when the Congress was talking of development and progress, the BJP was raising such irrelevant ``issues''.

Describing the December 12 elections as ``very important,'' she said it would be a choice between ``development and destruction''. The Congress wanted to create an ``atmosphere of development, peace and prosperity''. ``I want to see smiles on the faces of every Gujarati,'' while the BJP was only interested in ``creating an atmosphere of fear and destruction,'' she charged.

Ms. Gandhi began her Gujarat trip this morning with ``puja and darshan'' at the famous Ambaji temple and later addressed public meetings at Hadad, Surendranagar and Vadodara. She launched her campaign from Hadad, a small town in the tribal belt of north Gujarat, to ``woo back'' the tribal votes as the party is doubtful of their traditional support this time in view of their ``large-scale involvement'' in the communal riots.

The party collected a large crowd despite the meeting being held in a remote corner and the people in their colourful dresses were very responsive and cheered Ms. Gandhi repeatedly. Besides tribals, Muslims too attended the rally in large numbers.

Without referring to Mr. Modi by name, Ms. Gandhi criticised his repeated references to Pakistan and terrorism and said the entire country was united behind the Government in fighting terrorism from across the border. ``Pakistan and terrorism are not the State Government's concern but that of the Centre, and the Congress was always cooperating with the Government, both inside and outside Parliament, in fighting against terrorism.''

The Congress had sacrificed many of its leaders in fighting terrorism and did not have to take lessons from the BJP about terrorism and patriotism. ``The BJP believed itself to be the sole proprietor of patriotism, but we all Indians are patriots,'' and no one needed a certificate from the BJP, she said.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Front Page

Stories in this Section

Govt. committed to disinvestment process

Putin arrives for talks with Vajpayee

Militant holed up in mosque surrenders

Appeal against quashing of plea for Quattrocchi extradition

BJP creating atmosphere of fear: Sonia

'Live' bomb recovered

UTI Bill passed

Bid on life of VHP leader