Congress President Sonia Gandhi addresses a rally in Bihar's Buxar
Accusing the Modi government of trying to impose its ideology on the people, Congress President Sonia Gandhi has said communal frenzy is being created, innocents are killed on rumours, and intellectuals are targeted under its rule which is threatening the democratic and social fabric of the country.
Addressing an election rally in Bihar's Buxar, she took on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his repeated attack on the nearly six-decade-long Congress rule, retorting that her party had "zealously strengthened democracy which allowed Narendra Modi to become the Prime Minister."
"BJP government is moving away from democratic ideals. It is creating a serious threat for our democracy by imposing its ideology on the people. Communal tension is being created.
"Innocents are being killed on the basis of rumours. The way intellectuals are being attacked, they are being denied freedom to express their views. It is trying to weaken the foundation of social harmony. It is not just sad but also shameful," she said in a reference to the Dadri lynching incident and the targeting of intellectuals.
Mrs Gandhi also hit out at PM Modi for "failing" to fulfill the promises made by him to the public, especially with regard to farmers, women and youth.
She also attacked the Prime Minister over rising prices of essential commodities including vegetables and pulses that had made the life of common people difficult.
Mrs Gandhi said PM Modi had repeatedly said that "what has Congress done in last 60 years; that Congress has not done anything.
"I want to tell you all, especially to the youth, that there was a time that due to colonial rule, there was nothing left in the country. In the last sixty years, the Congress party has ushered revolutionary changes in education, health, agriculture, industry, as well as nuclear and other areas.
"It protected the unity, integrity and the legacy of the country. The party took the country on the path of progress and protected the social fabric for which it sacrificed its leaders.
"We made the democracy strong because of which Narendra Modi could become the Prime Minister. Has all this been done in last one-and-a half years. If you cannot see the progress brought by the Congress, then whose fault is it. It is yours."
The five-phased Bihar assembly poll is underway and polling for the third phase of election for 50 seats will be held on October 28.
Talking about the GST Bill, Mrs Gandhi said the UPA government wanted to bring the law to help reform the tax structure in the country and for the welfare of the industry.
"Today we are opposing this not for anything else but for people's interests. Because the markets for which Modiji wants to bring this bill will increase price rise and the burden on common man will increase. The civic bodies and panchayats will lose further," she said.
Accusing PM Modi, Mrs Gandhi said he is neither hearing the voice of farmers, nor the women or youth "who are all suffering".
"Did he hear your voice on rising prices of dal and vegetables and how difficult it has become for women to run their households. Does Modiji hear their voice today?"
Talking about farming, she said, Buxor and Bhojpur were known for it but farmers are facing problems due to higher input costs and inadequate remuneration for their produce.
"Is Modiji hearing the voice of our farmers? Not at all," she said.
She also highlighted the plight of the youth saying PM Modi promised employment opportunities for them but did not do anything in this regard.
"Forget about creating employment opportunities, as many as 50,000 Biharis who are connected with the diamond trade lost their jobs in Gujarat which has created a big problem for people in Bihar. "Is he hearing the voice of the unemployed youth?," she asked.
She told the Prime Minister that merely hearing the voice of people was not enough but what is required "is to feel the pain and anguish of people and resolve their problems so that they can live in peace".