Unity of country threatened by divisive forces: Sonia

The country was not only facing threat from terrorists, but also those who were out to divide society on the basis of region and religion, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi said on Tuesday.

"The unity of the country is not only facing threat from terrorist outfits from outside, but also from divisive forces trying to divide the country," Gandhi told an election meeting here.

Stating that people of all religions, Hindus, Muslims, Christians and Sikhs, wanted to live in peace, she said those trying to divide the people were enemies of the country.

Gandhi said that the UPA government had, without discrimination, provided funds to all states for different programmes, but whether they were properly spent was for the people to judge.

Turning to the youth, the UPA chairperson said that it was the late Rajiv Gandhi who had brought down the minimum age for voting to 18 years which had enabled many to vote for the first time in the ongoing elections.

"In the face of empty promises being made by some forces, it is for you to decide who should be entrusted with the development and progress of the country," she said.