File photo of Sonia Gandhi.
Attacking BJP's manifesto containing contentious Hindutva issues, Congress President Sonia Gandhi today said their 'communal agenda' was a 'grave threat' to the country's unity and integrity.
"Our opponent's communal agenda is a grave threat to our country's unity and integrity and Congress is the only party that can ensure that the country remains united," she told an election meeting in Thrissur, Kerala.
Hitting out at the opposition for propagating "falsehood and charges of corruption", the UPA chairperson said "in every instance, we have taken corrective action. I want to challenge them here. I am challenging them to make such claim in states ruled by them."
"I want to ask them what kind of change are they talking about? What kind of change are people of India thinking about? Do the people of India truly give up the values they cherish... and trust those who have hitched their political careers on falsehoods and blatant lies?" she said.
A combative Sonia Gandhi said "can the people trust those who keep changing for personal and political gains? Can the people trust those who pretend to be moderate for narrow political gains? Let no one be under such an illusion..."
Attacking CPI-M-led LDF in Kerala, she said Congress was fighting a different battle in the state against a 'rigid' ideology. "Our principal opposition are prisoners of an ideology that has no relevance in today's world," she said.
While Congress follows the principle of non-violence taught by the Father of the Nation, the Left Front rejects this principle, she said.
"What only matters to us is that we are all Indians. The different religions, castes, languages and colours of the skin do not matter," she said.
"We believe in an India that unites our people while the opposition seeks to divide. Our ideology binds our people together, their ideology separates one Indian from the other," she said.
"Congress-led UPA wants a united India where democratic institutions at all levels are strong. But the opposition is seeking to weaken institutions by 'one-man rule'," Gandhi said, referring to BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi.
"The choice before us is an India that belongs to all of us led by a government working for an India that belongs to all of us or an India that belongs to some of us and serves the interest of only a few," she said.
Gandhi, who arrived in Kochi this evening for addressing the election meeting at Thrissur, had to leave by road due to heavy rains.
The Congress president introduced the Congress candidates - K P Dhanapalan (Thrissur), P C Chacko (Chalakudy) and Sheeba (Alathur).
Speaking at an election meeting in Kozhikode, Gandhi, without naming Modi, said Congress stands for strong democratic institutions but the BJP was trying to weaken these institutions and centralised power into the hands of an individual.
Referring to the Kasturirangan report on Western Ghats conservation, she assured farmers and people of the state that nothing would done that hits their interests.
"I assure on behalf of the UPA and UDF (in Kerala) that nothing will be done to harm the interests of farmers. The interests of farmers of Kerala come first to us and always, it will come first," she said, to thunderous applause from the crowd.
UPA was committed to the enactment of women's reservation bill, she said.
She also mentioned in detail the programmes mentioned the Congress election manifesto.
"We are committed to implementing a separate ministry to look into the grievances of fishermen," she added.
The Congress chief said the ten years of growth and progress India has seen was implemented by the UPA Government "which is a matter of satisfaction for us" and the 1000 days record achievement of the UDF government in Kerala.
India has achieved unprecedented economic growth as never before and that growth made it possible to launch several public schemes, she said, adding UPA gave special focus for the development of the SC, ST, OBC and minorities.
"The Sachar Committee report, most of them (recommendations), have been implemented," she said.
The RTI and Lokpal Bill are effective weapons to combat corruption, Gandhi said.
Apparently referring to CPI-M, she said: "We in the Congress party belong to an ideology founded on the principles of non-violence, but our political opponent in Kerala rejects that very principle. The politics of murder and violence in Kerala has taken a heavy toll on our people," she said.
"The policies of the Congress party is based on the principle on which our great nation was built," she said. "These principles are secularism, non-violence, brotherhood and equality. We will fight till our last breath to protect these principles."