By IANS,
Davangere (Karnataka) : Congress president Sonia Gandhi Monday ridiculed the Third Front saying it has as many PM aspirants as the number of parties it constitutes and charged the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) with seeking votes by dividing the people.
Launching the party’s campaign for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls from this Karnataka town, Sonia Gandhi, in her first comment on the Third Front, mocked at it, saying “as if a communal and anti-people party like the BJP is not enough, we have now one more morcha (front) whose whereabouts are anybody’s guess”.
“We don’t know to whom and which party the Third Front belongs, where they come (from) and when they meet. There are as many PM (prime minister) aspirants as many parties in the Third Front,” she said, addressing the crowd in Hindi from a prepared text.
“A country like India cannot survive with such parties. We need stability, experience and competency like Manmohan Singh,” Sonia Gandhi told the cheering crowd, estimated by Congress leaders at between 200,000 and 300,000.
“In the past people have seen when a non-Congress government comes to power, the country weakens and instability reigns,” she asserted.
Her comment on the Third Front came 11 days after it was launched on March 12 by the Left, Telegu Desam Party, Janata Dal-Secular and other parties at a rally near Tumkur, around 60 km from Bangalore.
Sonia Gandhi, who was wearing a cream colour cotton sari, was harsh on the BJP.
She raised the pitch of her voice, particularly while attacking the BJP, Hindutva forces and the Third Front.
The crowd cheered her when she spoke about the works of former prime ministers, Rajiv Gandhi, Indira Gandhi and the waiver of farmers’ loan by the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government.
Attacking Hindutva forces, she said: “We are seeking mandate by not dividing people and poisoning them with hatred, as some parties indulge in.”
On terrorism, Sonia Gandhi said: “We have not spared any effort to fight terror. Congress was not the government to release terrorists from jail and escort them to Afghanistan. In fact, my mother-in-law and husband died for the country fighting terrorism.”
Taking on the first BJP government in Karnataka, she said: “This party has come into power only for money’s sake.”
She said Karnataka was known for peace, harmony and brotherhood. “After this government came, it vitiated the atmosphere by interfering in the personal lives of people, creating fear psychosis among the minority communities, dividing people on religious lines.
“Since BJP came to power in Karnataka, there is no democracy, no personal freedom, no progress and no development.
“Whatever is happening in Karnataka since BJP came to power is an insult to the teachings of social reformer and poet Basavanna (14th century). He must be surely hurt. So also another poet Kanakadasa and sufi saints. Whatever is happening in Karnataka is against the saying of sufi saints and Kanakadasa.”
She told the crowd “the outcome of this general election will have an impact on the country’s future and every Indian.
“We are seeking a renewed mandate from the people on the basis of programmes like National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, mid-day meal for children, welfare schemes, including health schemes for adivasis, women and children. UPA is the first government in the country to waive farmers debt to the tune of Rs. 71,000 crore (Rs.710 billion), giving fresh lease of life to farmers,” she said in her 15-minute speech.
The rally, which started an hour behind schedule, went on for an hour.
There was no translation of Sonia Gandhi’s speech into Kannada.