New Delhi: Launching a scathing attack on BJP and its ally Shiv Sena for targeting migrants in Maharashtra and Karnataka, Rahul Gandhi today warned that this has fanned tension, while Congress has taken everyone along irrespective of caste, religion or the region they come from.
“In Karnataka, Maharashtra they create tension. People from Uttar Pradesh go to Maharashtra and people from Shiv Sena make them run away. But here (in Delhi and Congress-ruled states) we have love and brotherhood. We want to take everyone along,” the Congress Vice-President said. He also claimed that as compared to NDA, the UPA has created more infrastructure in the country, besides empowering the people, including women.
“We see all as equal. In Delhi, all are one for us. They could be Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christian, belong to any caste or region,” he said.
He was addressing an election rally in Ambedkar Nagar here in South Delhi where his grandmother and late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had addressed an election rally in the 1980s.
This was Gandhi's second election rally in Delhi, the first being in Mangolpuri recently in the run up to the December four assembly elections.
Talking of the issue of corruption, which has been used by BJP to target UPA government, Rahul said Congress gave people RTI to fight it.
“The decisions used to be taken inside closed door have come out in open. You can ask government anything,” he said. Congress, he said, believed in empowering people besides carrying out development.
“We have done better in electricity, in schools, in health... and have also empowered you. Our underlining philosophy is about your emancipation,” Gandhi said. Contesting BJP's claim that NDA government built highways work on which came to a standstill during UPA rule, he said the latter built three times more roads than the former. He said the UPA government has worked more on creating infrastructure, including roads, electricity, hospitals and schools.
Gandhi asked voters in the city to hand over a fourth term to Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, saying the capital has seen unprecedented development under her rule and she has changed its face.
He said while Dikshit had a track record to prove her work, BJP only believed in big talk and speeches. It had little to show in terms of development. The Congress Vice-President touched on his family's and Dikshit's connection with UP in an apparent attempt to reach out to sizable Poorvanchali (East UP) voters in the capital.
“Delhi international airport is considered the second best in the world. Look at the transport infrastructure. Two million people are travelling in Delhi Metro daily. Earlier, there used to be shortage of electricity while we have 24-hour power now. The whole infrastructure has changed,” he said.
Dikshit had to urge a section of the crowd which had gathered for the rally to stay back and listen to Gandhi. Some people were getting restless as they had gathered at the DDA ground to listen to the Congress leader since 10.30 am. Gandhi came around 1 pm and spoke a little later.
