Sonia launches direct attack on Modi

Slamming Bharatiya Janata Party’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi over his attack on the Congress leadership, Sonia Gandhi on Sunday accused him of ‘closing eyes and resorting to lies’ to negate the development carried out during 15 years of her party’ rule in Delhi.

Lauding chief minister Sheila Dikshit’s tenure, she also projected the state as a model of development, accusing the opposition of ‘knowingly ignoring’ the development carried out in Delhi.

Gandhi, however, did name either Modi or BJP, which she referred to as ‘our main opposition party’.

In her twelve-minutes-long speech in chaste Hindi laced with sarcasm and liberal use of maxims popular in north India, she cautioned the people against those who were trying to ‘mislead’ them in their ‘sole pursuit of power’.

Gandhi’s public rally at DDA ground in Shastri Park falling in north-east Delhi parliamentary constituency represented by Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee chief JP Agrawal, took place a day after Modi’s election meeting in Dwarka in which he had attacked Dikshit, accusing her for failing to provide even basic amenities to the people.

He had said that even small states and cities were better off than the national capital. The BJP’s prime ministerial candidate had also slammed Congress for its ‘arrogance’ and ‘born to rule’ mindset, attacking prime minister Manmohan Singh, Rahul Gandhi and Dikshit.

Rejecting the remarks, Gandhi said, ‘I am also a resident of Delhi. All of us are witness to the development that has happened in Delhi in last 15 years. There is a maxim that what is visible to open eyes does not need any proof (Haanth Kangan to Arsi Kya). ‘But it’s a different matter if somebody closes the eyes knowingly with a design and resorts to lies.’

Dismissing Modi and BJP’s criticism of the Congress leadership, the party president sought to strike an emotion chord, reminding people of the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi.

Amid concerns in Congress that Arvind Kejriwal’s party could make the contest trinagular in Delhi, Dikshit, who is seeking a fourth term, told the rally that if a wrong decision was taken and Congress was ‘defeated’, the entire nation will suffer the consequences.

Cautioning people, she said, ‘The speed of Delhi’s development should not be hampered. Delhi is marching ahead. If we took a wrong decision and either weakened the Congress government or defeated it, not only Delhi but the entire country will have to face its consequences... Delhi is the national capital. What happens in Delhi first, takes place in the country later.’

As Modi keeps up with ‘Congress-free India’ line, Dikshit said, ‘No other party tells you what it wants to do for Delhi, what is its plan but its only slogan is remove Congress.’ Gandhi said, ‘By misleading the people, by creating confusion among them, you can capture the chair but cannot win their hearts. We have served you by our heart and, hence appeal to you to ensure victory of our candidates with a huge number of votes.’

While highlighting that Delhi has welcomed people from all castes, creeds and regions, the Congress President also sought to caution the people against some, who were trying to ‘spread poison through their narrow ideology’.

‘Such people definitely include the main opposition party but there are some other people also. They need to be asked what is their ideology. Can you make good policies without good ideology? All of you are conscious citizens. You see what is the history of others and that of ours. What have they done for you and given to the country vis-a-vis the contribution of Congress to the nation. The picture will be clear,’ Gandhi said. 

Modi had in his speech on Saturday targeted the Prime Minister, Rahul Gandhi and Dikshit. Modi had said that while the Delhi Chief Minister questions him over the Gujarat model of development, she has been unable to provide even basic drinking water to residents of the capital after 15 years of her rule.

Countering the attack, Gandhi said that while there is a long list of the achievements of the Congress government, ‘our opponents fail to see all this’.