Congress president Sonia Gandhi today launched a frontal attack on BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi for using a martyr's name during his campaign in the state last week.
Criticising Modi, Gandhi said that he used the catchword of Kargil martyr Capt Vikram Batra 'Yeh dil maange more (this heart wants more)' only for "the prime minister's chair".
Addressing rallies in Himachal Pradesh, he spoke of late Capt Vikram Batra, who was killed in the Kargil conflict, and used a catch phrase associated with him "Yeh dil maange more" to seek votes for his party.
"Unka dil sirf kursi maang rahain hai (Modi's heart wants only the chair)," Gandhi said at an election rally at Kullu in Mandi Parliamentary constituency, adding that it was an insult to martyrs. Accusing Modi of showing big dreams to the people, Gandhi said that in fact the path chosen by him was that of destruction while Congress has always worked for the welfare and upliftment of poor, weak and underprivileged sections of the society without any discrimination.
Taking a jibe at the "tone and tenor" of the speeches of Modi, Gandhi said he was speaking as if he had already won the chair of prime minister while election results are yet to be declared. Claiming that Congress believed in peace, harmony and development of all without any discrimination to ensure a life of dignity, she said that "the path being shown by the BJP is path of discrimination and destruction in which there is noting except I".
"Your vote will elect the government," she said and appealed to the people to vote for Congress. Listing out the achievements of Congress-led UPA government in the past 10 years, the Congress president said, "Unlike the BJP, we do not make false promises and do what we promise." Gandhi said the UPA government gave the Right to Education, introduced midday meal scheme, passed Food Security Act to ensure food to people and brought Right to Information Act which gave a weapon to people helping expose many cases of corruption after which the guilty were punished.
To protect the interests of farmers, Land Acquisition Act was passed and now the lands of farmers cannot be acquired without their consent and they would be entitled to full compensation, she said. Gandhi promised free medicines and treatment to poor and pensions to disabled, old age people and destitute.
She said Congress always worked hard to strengthen the basic infrastructure in rural and urban areas and pursued the path of development, prosperity to strengthen the democracy. Lauding the state government, Gandhi said Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and his team have done good work in the state and asked the people for their support to continue the "good work".
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