Combative Congress bats for foreign direct investment
5 Nov 2012 1:12 AM GMT
Congress president Sonia Gandhi chose the mammoth gathering at the historic Ramlila ground on Sunday to counter the Opposition’s concerted attack on the Manmohan Singh government on issues of corruption and mal-governance. Emboldened by the presence of Congress workers in unprecedented numbers, Gandhi thundered: ‘I want to ask the Opposition, can they give a government which equally attends to the development needs in both the rural and the urban areas. People have given us the mandate to govern, then why does the Opposition get agitated when we take initiatives like introducing reforms to improve governance and economy.’
Pitched as the start of the Congress campaign to retain power in 2014 Lok Sabha polls, the Congress rally called in support of foreign direct investment (FDI) and other reforms was immensely successful in terms of sheer numbers. Party workers came from Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Punjab,Uttar Pradesh and even far off states like Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra. The Haryana Congress workers wore pink turban and pink saris to indicate ‘pro-FDI’ stand.
According to Delhi police estimates, about two lakh workers turned up for the rally. ‘There were about 1.25 lakh workers in Maidan and at least another 75,000 on the way when the rally concluded,’ said a Delhi police official. The leaders were welcomed by Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit, who was given responsibility to organise the rally. Chief ministers of all Congress-ruled states attended the rally as did central ministers and other leaders.
Addressing the huge gathering, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said, ‘It is our duty to ensure there is no corruption and we ensure that those who are involved in corruption get punished. But, at the same time, we have to also ensure that we should not create such an atmosphere that honest people become scared of taking initiative for progress of the country.’
Referring to corruption, the Congress president said, ‘Corruption is a cancer which affects the common man the most. But we have fought this disease before and we will continue to fight this disease with all strength once again. We will fight all graft charges against us and none found guilty will be spared. It was the Congress, which brought a strong legislation to tackle corruption, the RTI, through which any one can get information about the government.’
Slamming the Opposition for leveling ‘baseless charges’ against Congress and UPA government, Sonia said, ‘The opposition has leveled several allegations of corruption against the government. How many of these charges would stand the scrutiny of law, only time would tell.’
RAHUL PLAYS DEVIL’S ADVOCATE
AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi chose the Sunday rally to play devil’s advocate, taking up the cause of ‘aam aadmi’ on the occasion. Coming to speak ahead of Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi, the young leader said, ‘the biggest problem with India today is our political system. The people who run the system are busy mud-slinging at one another’. Rahul made an impassioned speech while listing the Congress’ achievements. ‘We brought a strong Lokpal Bill. But after its passage in Lok Sabha, opposition stalled it in Rajya Sabha. But we will get it passed,’ he said.
‘FALSE BRAVADO BY CONGRESS’
If it was Congress president Sonia Gandhi who ripped apart the BJP on corruption on Sunday morning, the BJP counter attacked saying the Congress has failed to talk about the corruption that is plaguing them. BJP leader Arun Jaitley, while referring to the allegations of financial wrongdoing by Robert Vadra and scams like 2G spectrum and coal gate, said Congress remained silent on these issues.
‘This was a rally intended to create a false bravado when they have failed on the financial front and in giving a clean government,’ said Jaitley.
Pitched as the start of the Congress campaign to retain power in 2014 Lok Sabha polls, the Congress rally called in support of foreign direct investment (FDI) and other reforms was immensely successful in terms of sheer numbers. Party workers came from Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Punjab,Uttar Pradesh and even far off states like Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra. The Haryana Congress workers wore pink turban and pink saris to indicate ‘pro-FDI’ stand.
According to Delhi police estimates, about two lakh workers turned up for the rally. ‘There were about 1.25 lakh workers in Maidan and at least another 75,000 on the way when the rally concluded,’ said a Delhi police official. The leaders were welcomed by Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit, who was given responsibility to organise the rally. Chief ministers of all Congress-ruled states attended the rally as did central ministers and other leaders.
Addressing the huge gathering, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said, ‘It is our duty to ensure there is no corruption and we ensure that those who are involved in corruption get punished. But, at the same time, we have to also ensure that we should not create such an atmosphere that honest people become scared of taking initiative for progress of the country.’
Referring to corruption, the Congress president said, ‘Corruption is a cancer which affects the common man the most. But we have fought this disease before and we will continue to fight this disease with all strength once again. We will fight all graft charges against us and none found guilty will be spared. It was the Congress, which brought a strong legislation to tackle corruption, the RTI, through which any one can get information about the government.’
Slamming the Opposition for leveling ‘baseless charges’ against Congress and UPA government, Sonia said, ‘The opposition has leveled several allegations of corruption against the government. How many of these charges would stand the scrutiny of law, only time would tell.’
RAHUL PLAYS DEVIL’S ADVOCATE
AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi chose the Sunday rally to play devil’s advocate, taking up the cause of ‘aam aadmi’ on the occasion. Coming to speak ahead of Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi, the young leader said, ‘the biggest problem with India today is our political system. The people who run the system are busy mud-slinging at one another’. Rahul made an impassioned speech while listing the Congress’ achievements. ‘We brought a strong Lokpal Bill. But after its passage in Lok Sabha, opposition stalled it in Rajya Sabha. But we will get it passed,’ he said.
‘FALSE BRAVADO BY CONGRESS’
If it was Congress president Sonia Gandhi who ripped apart the BJP on corruption on Sunday morning, the BJP counter attacked saying the Congress has failed to talk about the corruption that is plaguing them. BJP leader Arun Jaitley, while referring to the allegations of financial wrongdoing by Robert Vadra and scams like 2G spectrum and coal gate, said Congress remained silent on these issues.
‘This was a rally intended to create a false bravado when they have failed on the financial front and in giving a clean government,’ said Jaitley.
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