New Delhi, November 4
Meant essentially to endorse the UPA government’s reform measures like FDI in retail, a massive rally organised by the Congress at the Ramlila Grounds today was used as an opportunity to launch a scathing attack on the Opposition in a ringing message to its detractors that it is battle ready for the forthcoming 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

Setting the tone for this electoral challenge, the Congress lined up three star speakers — party president Sonia Gandhi, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi — to energise its workers and urge them to take on their opponents with renewed aggression.

Besieged by a series of corruption scandals and charges and criticised for poor governance, the party top brass fended off these charges by presenting the Congress as the only party which is serious about fighting graft and cares about the ‘aam admi’.

While the three speakers did not lose sight of the main purpose of the rally - clarifying doubts about the government’s economic polices - Opposition-bashing was high on the agenda. The Prime Minister dwelt on the UPA government’s achievements and explained the benefits of its FDI policy but did not fail to criticise the Opposition for misleading the public about his government.

Similarly, Rahul Gandhi came out in full support of the government’s policies but slammed its detractors for opposing every government measure without giving it much thought.

Reminding the BJP that it had brought in FDI when it was in power, he said, “It was the BJP, which first talked of the FDI. They were weak- hearted. We are strong-hearted. So we did. But when we did it, they said no to it in Parliament."

Sonia endorsed the government’s reforms agenda but her aggressive attack on the Opposition was the high point of her speech.

At her combative best, she hit out at the BJP in particular but without naming the party. In a clear reference to the recent corruption charges against BJP president Nitin Gadkari, Sonia thundered, “They are mired in corruption scandals themselves, that is why they are levelling false allegations against us. They lecture us on corruption but are corrupt themselves,” adding that the Opposition wants to weaken the democratic edifice of this country but the Congress will not let it happen.

“Jo doosre ke liye gaddha khodta hai, uske liye kuan tayyar rehta hai,” Sonia remarked, electrifying the crowds which had gathered to hear the party leaders.

Exhorting party workers to take on the Opposition, she said, “Our conscience is clear and our record is clean. There is no need for the Congress to be on the defensive”, adding that those who are levelling allegations against the government were only interested in weakening it.

“They are continuously obstructing Parliament. Why? The straight answer is that these people do not want laws for the welfare of the people to be passed and do not want discussion on the matters of national importance,” she said. Under attack for his reform measures, the Prime Minister defended the government’s decisions, stating that growth is not possible without economic reforms. Stating that these new policies will build a prosperous India, he promised, “We will bring in changes. We did the same in 1991. There was opposition then as well,” adding that their opponents would be proved wrong.

Rahul Gandhi, who is set for a larger role in the party, made an impassioned speech in which he spoke of the ‘aam admi’ and the crying need for changing the flawed political system which denied space to youth from the underprivileged backgrounds. While pointing to the UPA government’s achievements, he set out its future agenda, stating that it will ensure the passage of the Lokpal Bill, bring the Right to Food Bill and a law on land acquisition.