Sonia goes for Left jugular
The Congress president, Ms Sonia Gandhi, on Wednesday went for the Left’s jugular in Kerala, tongue-lashing it for being backward-looking, intolerant of dissent and for shamelessly trying to take credit for the good work done by the Manmohan Singh government.
Addressing election rallies in Haripad, Thrissur and Kozhikode, Ms Gandhi gave solid uppercuts to the Left parties accusing them of landing the people of the state in a dangerous situation. “Down with your politics of intolerance and the cult of violence,” said Ms Gandhi, accusing the CPM of pioneering bomb-making in northern Kerala.
The five-year rule of the LDF was marked by attack on educational institutions and politicalisation of police, she said, as the crowds cheered.
Ms Gandhi also referred to the death of a pro-Congress tribal youth, who was allegedly beaten up by the CPI (M) men, to punctuate her argument about the violence unleashed by the Left parties. “They often speak of democracy inside Parliament,” she said. “But democracy doesn’t mean attacking people who follow a different political ideology.”
The Congress president kept up the aggressive tone of her speeches from Haripad to Thrissur in central Kerala and to Kozhikode in the north, much to the delight of the state leaders of the party.
“They opposed tractors and computers,” she ridiculed the Marxists in Thekkinkad maidan of Thrissur. “They criticised Rajiv Gandhi, calling him ‘computer boy’. But look, where information technology has taken other States.”
“Unlike the Government led by NDA, the UPA has extended tremendous support to Kerala,” she reminded. “However, it’s tragic that in spite of the Centre’s support, Kochi has not developed, unlike Hyderabad or Chennai, in IT.”
Ms Gandhi, looked tired but cheerful. In her speeches, she alleged that the Left was claiming credit for programmes implemented by the UPA government including the MNREGS, Right to Information Act, Right to Education Act and 50 per cent presence of women in local bodies.
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