Rahul targets Modi on manifesto delay, women's security

5 Dariya News

Sirsa/New Delhi 06-Apr-2014

Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi Sunday launched a multi-pronged attack on the BJP and its prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, accusing them of practising "pisive politics" and seeking to attack their record of women rights.Addressing election rallies at Haryana's Panipat and Sirsa and in Delhi, Gandhi also hit out at the Bharatiya Janata Party over delay in releasing its manifesto for the Lok Sabha poll.He attacked Modi over the "snoopgate" controversy and wondered how a leader whose government is battling allegations of illegal snooping on a woman architect would provide rights to women.Gandhi's rally in Delhi was at the same venue where he had drawn thin crowds before the assembly polls December in which the party had finished third. Sunday's rally saw a much larger turnout with party workers seeing it as a sign of party's revival in Delhi.

He also targeted Aam Aadmi Party in his rally in Delhi.Hitting at Modi on the issue of women security, Gandhi wondered if the treatment of women in the state was the Gujarat model of development."They say they want to give power to women. In Gujarat, the police taps phones of women, they keep tabs on their movement...That is the Gujarat model of development," he said and added that right-wing activist had beat up women during BJP rule in Karnataka.Gandhi also targeted Modi over delay in release of BJP manifesto."We held consultations with people from all sections for six months to finalise our manifesto. Where is the BJP manifesto? They feel there is no need to ask people. They do not need a manifesto because, according to them, one person (Modi) can think good and bad," he said.

Again referring to Modi, he said BJP talks of giving the country one watchman but the Congress wants to include all citizens in the process of governance."The BJP politics is about one man who seems to know everything and will change everything if he becomes prime minister," he said.He said the Congress extended support to the AAP in forming the government in Delhi but the party did not fulfill its promises. "The truth is that people who were running the government have run away to other states," he said.Speaking at Panipat, Gandhi said Congress intends to bring 70 crore people into the middle class in the next five years."We are building industrial corridors which will create jobs for the youth," he said.

Gandhi said Congress had worked for welfare and benefit of farmers, labourers and backward sections in the last ten years."The money that you receive for your farm produce is the highest ever. We waived farmer loans worth Rs.70,000 crore. We fought the battle for your land," he said.In his rally at Sirsa, Gandhi targeted Modi over his much flaunted Gujarat model of development."Haryana is ahead of Gujarat in many aspects. Haryana does not need a Gujarat model. The Haryana model is the best," he said."The BJP started with its 'India Shining' balloon in the 2004 election and it burst. Their balloon in the 2009 election also burst. Now they have filled air into the Gujarat model balloon. Even this will burst," Gandhi said.

"Wherever we see corruption, we take action. The BJP does nothing against corruption," he said.He also accused the BJP of practising pisive politics without naming it."These people, wherever they go, instigate people to fight among themselves."Congress had performed well in last Lok Sabha elections in both Delhi and neighbouring Haryana. It had won all seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi and nine out of 10 seats in Haryana.