Those in power worship 'satta', not shakti: Priyanka Gandhi at Saharanpur roadshow

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday said those ruling the country are not worshippers of "satya (truth) or Maa Shakti but only of satta (political power)".

Priyanka was speaking during her first roadshow in Uttar Pradesh in support of Imran Masood, the INDIA bloc candidate from Saharanpur, hours before campaigning for the first phase of the Lok Sabha election came to an end.

The roadshow covered a distance of about two kilometres in areas with a sizeable Muslim population. Addressing a large crowd, Priyanka appealed to them to make Masood victorious with an overwhelming majority.

"The people in power are not worshippers of satya (truth) or Maa Shakti (goddess Shakti) but only of satta (political power). For satta, they can go to any extent, they can topple governments, buy MLAs, and give the country's assets to the rich," she said.

Her remarks come in the backdrop of the BJP attacking the Congress over party MP Rahul Gandhi's "fight against shakti" remark, and the accusation against the Opposition party of insulting Sanatana Dharma (the original form of Hinduism).

Targeting the BJP, the Congress leader claimed that "if there is no glitch in the EVMs (electronic voting machines), these people are not going to win more than 180 seats (in the 543-seat Lok Sabha)".

The Congress general secretary also attacked the ruling party over the electoral bonds issue. "If the electoral bond scheme was transparent, then why was the list not made available to people earlier? It was only when the Supreme Court intervened that the list came out," she said. "The company which was earning a profit of Rs 180 crore donated Rs 1,100 crore to the BJP. Black money was converted into white through electoral bonds," she alleged, adding that it has exposed "Modi's corruption".

"Modi ji is not worried about the farmers of the country. The farmers kept sitting in Delhi for many months for their rights but Modi ji did not hear them. A farmer is committing suicide over a loan of Rs 10,000, but Adani's Rs 16 lakh crore was waived in one go," she said.

Speaking to the electorate in the Muslim-dominated area, she said, "You all believe in Prophet Mohammad because he fought for you. He always stood with you, he did not have satta (political power), yet you believed him."

The Congress leader briefly stopped her address while an azan (call for prayer) was heard from a nearby mosque.

Priyanka also referred to the Ram Navami festival, which was being celebrated on Wednesday. "Today is the auspicious day of Ram Navami. It is written in Valmiki Ramayana that when Lord Rama entered the battlefield, he saw that the power was completely on Ravana's side, he was disheartened and prayed for eight to nine days. The goddess also tested him, but later blessed him," she said.

Taking a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Priyanka said, "Modi ji does not pay attention to the poor, his attention is only for dhannaseths (capitalists). It is these dhannaseths of Modi who are running the country."

The roadshow was scheduled to begin at 10.00 am but started around noon as Priyanka's arrival was delayed. The district administration did not allow the roadshow to go ahead after the passage of the permitted time, owing to which she could not reach the Congress Committee office.

A sizeable number of Samajwadi Party workers were seen at the roadshow waving flags and banners of their party, walking along with enthusiastic Congress members.

In a post on X, Priyanka said, "I am overwhelmed by the love of the people of Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh. This enthusiasm, this zeal and this passion is a sign of the coming change. People who are disappointed with unemployment and inflation are now beginning to see hope for change. This enthusiasm is a reflection of that hope. The departure of the BJP, which has done injustice to the people, is certain. India will unite, India will win."

Clad in a pink saree and riding atop an open vehicle with Masood, Priyanka acknowledged the crowds on both sides of the road with folded hands. She also waved at the locals who showered flowers and confetti from rooftops.

The roadshow began from the Jain Bagh area, passed through Raiwala, JBS Inter College, and Kamboh Bridge, and ended in the Qutub Sher police station area. Priyanka was to visit Siddha Peeth Shakumbhari Devi before the road show in Saharanpur, but in view of the huge crowd of devotees on Ram Navami, the district administration did not allow it.

Extensive arrangements were made by the administration to provide foolproof security to the leaders during the roadshow.