Kashipur (Uttarakhand) : Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi Tuesday attacked the BJP, saying more people died due to terrorism during the BJP-led NDA regime than during the Congress tenure.
“We have statistics to prove we produced more electricity and curbed terrorism (than the BJP),” Gandhi said at an election rally here.
“During the five years of BJP rule, 22,000 people lost their lives. During the Kandahar (Afghanistan) hijacking (of 1999), top BJP leaders stood in a line and gave the terrorists whatever they wanted,” he said.
It was this incident that led to the attack on parliament. Compared to this, only 800 people died during the Congress rule, he said.
Gandhi said there were two reasons for this.
“One, that they (BJP) bowed in front of terrorists and the second, they practised the religion of hate.”
“This is the difference between us and them. Uttarakhand provides strength to the country by sending people to the armed forces,” he said, adding that it was the Congress that implemented the “one rank, one pension” scheme during its regime.
“The Congress government is for love and brotherhood and taking everybody along,” he added.
Asserting that his party was not against industrialists or industrialisation, Gandhi said: “We are not against industries or industrialists. We are just saying that there should be partnership between the poor people and the industrialists.”
At another rally in Udham Singh Nagar, Gandhi said there should be an equal partnership between the poor and the rich.
Asserting that the Congress was committed to giving a home to everybody, he said: “We want people to have a roof over their head, therefore, we will bring right to shelter … We will make sure everybody has a house.”
Observing that women were more powerful, he said: “All we need to give them is respect. Congress pledges to bring women’s reservation bill in parliament.”