Sonia Gandhi: Country’s soul is being crushed by the BJP

Barely a few weeks before India goes to poll, United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson and former Congress president Sonia Gandhi launched a frontal attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said that the country's soul is being crushed by the BJP through a well-planned conspiracy.

She was addressing the People’s Agenda - Jan Sarokar 2019 in Delhi on Saturday.

Targeting the Modi government for attacks on those who dissent, Sonia Gandhi said people are being ‘taught’ a new definition of patriotism.

“Today, we are being taught a new definition of patriotism while those not accepting diversity are being called patriots,” Sonia Gandhi said.

Coming down heavily upon the Modi government for rising unemployment, Sonia Gandhi alleged that the current government was not ready to respect dissent.

“When there are attacks on people who stick to their faith, Modi government turns away,” said Sonia Gandhi.

“The current government is not focusing on creating opportunities for the people but on politics to benefit certain industrialists,” she added.

On the Congress’s poll promises, Sonia Gandhi said if the party comes to power, a system will be developed to monitor their implementations.

“I have no doubts about the promises we have made. After our government is formed, a system will be in place to monitor their implementation,” she said.

Thousands of people from different parts of the country associated with social movements gathered in Talkatora stadium to draft a people’s manifesto ahead of the poll.

Apart from Sonia Gandhi, treasurer of the Congress party and chairman of the Congress’ research wing, Rajeev Gowda also attended the gathering.

Communist Party of India (CPI) leader, D Raja also addressed the gathering and said “people should convict the Modi government”.

“People should not allow such governments to rule, the saffron outfits shall not get away with their divisive politics and we should all fight together to remove this government from the Centre… We should refuse their hatred and we should vote them out,” said Raja.

Leader of the Swaraj Swaraj India party, Yogendra Yadav said farmers should be given more NREGA work days and more generous pensions.

“The current government is hell bent on tearing apart the country and the Constitution that makes it democratic and equal in nature,” said leader of the Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist) Liberation, Kavita Krishnan.