Sonia Gandhi kicks off Congress campaign for Bihar polls on Gandhi Jayanti

Kicking off the party’s campaign in poll-bound Bihar, Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Friday exhorted the people of the state to be extra cautious against concerted efforts to mislead them “by using fear, emotions and rumour-mongering”.

Addressing a rally via video-conference from Delhi to mark the 151st birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, Sonia urged them “to stand united to fight the prevailing rule of anarchy, atrocity and misconduct in the country”.

She said that Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) proved to “be a game-changer for the poor and the downtrodden during the raging COVID-19 pandemic.

Referring to the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), 2005, she said, “Earlier, MGNREGA, 2005 was criticised by the opposition. But the scheme has come to the rescue of the migrant labourers and the poor”.

“He (Gandhiji) embarked on the Champaran Satyagrah to liberate helpless farmers, labourers and the downtrodden from atrocities of the then British colonial rulers. It was Champaran that gave Gandhi the title of Mahatma,” said Sonia.

Attacking the Modi government for “sacrificing the interests of millions of farmers, labourers and poor for the benefits of a few people”, Sonia drew a parallel between the Modi government and the colonial British rule.

“Crores of people are being rendered jobless, small and cottage industries being destroyed, while government institutions that gave jobs are being sold,” she said.

She said that her party had always promptly acted against those who were alleged to have engaged in any kind of misconduct.

“But this government is doing just the opposite. Even the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005, which was enacted to fight corruption in the government, has been weakened in such a way that none can get a reply to their queries,” she added.