Taking an aggressive stand against the BJP government in Karnataka, Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Thursday accused it of failing to properly utilise Central schemes for the poor, prompting many farm labourers, especially in Hyderabad Karnataka, to migrate in search of employment.
Addressing a well-attended rally, Mrs Gandhi devoted a major portion of her 14-minute speech to pointing out the lapses of the BJP government in the state before dwelling on the development schemes launched by the Centre for the welfare of India’s poor.
Mrs Gandhi, who arrived nearly two hours late, took the aggressive route right from the start. “Of the `88,000 crore assistance given by the Centre to the state, only 10 per cent has reached the needy and the rest has been pocketed by BJP leaders. It’s shameful that those who had the audacity to point an accusing finger at us are themselves steeped in corruption. The BJP has totally destroyed the faith reposed by the people of Karnataka in the previous Assembly election,” she charged, also accusing the BJP government of encouraging fundamentalist forces during its tenure.
“The state was always known for the harmonious coexistence of various communities. But communal forces reared their heads in many parts of the state due to the support of the BJP. The Congress will never compromise in combating these forces,” she declared.
Mrs Gandhi also reminded the people of Hyderabad Karnataka that it was her party that had paved the way for conferring special status on the region under Article 371.
Mrs Gandhi claimed only her party could provide a stable and development-oriented government and bring about drastic change for the better. Congress leaders Ambika Soni, Madhusudhan Mistry, Dharam Singh and Mallikarjun Kharge were among those present.