Date:09/09/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/09/09/stories/2008090956241300.htm

National

Bring down Raje government, Sonia appeals to people

Sunny Sebastian

DEOLI (Rajasthan): Congress president and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi kicked off her party’s election campaign in Rajasthan on Monday from this predominantly Gujjar territory by addressing a public rally.

Situated not far from Sohela, also in Tonk district, where some farmers had died in police firing (they were demanding water for irrigation) two years ago, Ms. Gandhi asked the people to “get rid of the corrupt and inefficient [Vasundhara Raje] government.”

“Compare the previous government’s achievements with those of the current one and you would surely vote for Congress,” she said.

It was a show of unity by the Congress, which was addressed by leaders of various factions and caste groups, including Union Ministers Sisram Ola and Namo Narain Meena and Sachin Pilot, MP, besides Congress general secretary Ashok Gehlot and PCC president C.P. Joshi.

In effect, the meeting brought together leaders of the warring Meena and Gujjar communities besides that of Jats, a community that had deserted the party in the last Assembly election.

If Ms. Gandhi, who addressed a meeting in the morning at Barsinghsar near Bikaner while dedicating the Neyveli Lignite Corporation’s lignite mining project to the nation, had confined herself to the official script on energy advantages of the nuclear deal, her address turned political at Deoli, a town some 190 km south of Jaipur.

“Make sure that you bring down this government for the bright future of your children,” she said.

Ms. Gandhi said the Raje government had replied to the demand of the farmers for water with bullets in Gharsana, Raola and in Sohela. In an oblique reference to the Gujjar agitation, which claimed more than 70 lives, she said, “Scores of innocent persons have been killed in a State known for its peace.”

Ms. Gandhi said the nuclear deal, being finalised by the United Progressive government with the U.S., solely aimed at the progress of the country. “Nobody can deny the importance of energy security for the country. The nation cannot progress without electricity,” she said while hailing the lifting of the nuclear embargo against India by the NSG.

Any amount of criticism would not deter her government from going ahead with the deal. Whenever the Congress party had taken a big step in the interest of the nation the Opposition had made false allegations against it. She congratulated Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his team for the victory at the NSG meet.