M A I N   N E W S

NDA govt corrupt: Sonia
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 30
Describing the Vajpayee government as “cruel and merciless”’ and a “government of scams and scandals,” Congress President Sonia Gandhi said today that various sections of society were reeling under misery and deprivation.

Much of Mrs Gandhi’s attack at the ‘Desh Bachao rally’ at the Ramlila Ground here was over NDA government’s “failure” to work for the poor and vulnerable sections.

“Naujawano ke haath khali, Aam aadmi ki jeb khali, garib ka pet khali, kisano ka khet khali (Hands of young men are empty, common man’s pockets are empty, poor go without food and farms remain parched), she said.

Mrs Gandhi said the Vajpayee government had recorded “historic victory in only one area and that was corruption. This is a government of scams which has resulted in earnings of millions of people going down the drain,” she said.

“In ka shasan saudon par chalta hai” (This government is running on the basis of commission cuts) she added.

Mrs Gandhi’s remarks come a day after the NDA held a function to commemorate the completion of five years of Vajpayee government. Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, referring to the main Opposition party’s new slogan “Congress ke haath, gareeb ke saath,” had sarcastically remarked yesterday that poverty should have vanished considering that “garibi hatao” slogan was raised by the Congress nearly three decades ago.

While Mrs Gandhi refrained from responding to Mr Vajpayee’s remarks on her party’s new slogan she also refused to bite his bait to make clear her stand on coalition politics.

Her emphasis on “deprivation” during the rule of the NDA government was an indication that the plight of the poor would be the focus of the Congress election campaign in the run up to the Assembly elections where it is faced with an anti-incumbency factor.

A highlight of the rally was assertions by several party Chief Ministers, including Mr Virbhadra Singh, Mr Digvijay Singh, Mr Sushil Kumar Shinde, Mr Ashok Gehlot and Mr Ajit Jogi, of their resolve to make her the next Prime Minister.

Taking a dig at the BJP which came to power on the plank of removal of “bhay, bhookh and bhrashtachar” (fear, hunger and corruption), Mrs Gandhi said the NDA rule had led to growing insecurity and hunger.

The NDA rule, she said, had failed to provide security to people.

She said her party gave unequivocal support to the government to tackle the issue of Pakistan-sponsored cross-border terrorism but it had failed to deliver.

She accused the Sangh Parivar of misinterpreting Hinduism and causing social tensions.

Expressing concern over the US-led military action against Iraq, Mrs Gandhi said India was not voicing its opinion in the matter.

The rally, held to mark the culmination of national convention of party’s block and district presidents, was attended by all senior party leaders besides PCC chiefs.

Addressing the rally Mr Virbhadra Singh termed the Vajpayee government as the most incompetent one that ever ruled the country and listed its failures on various fronts.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijay Singh said the fact that yesterday’s NDA rally was a flop show indicated that the government could please neither the people nor its own partners. The Government lacked credibility.