Other States - Punjab   

Sonia lowered level of political debate: Rajnath

BJP president Rajnath Singh

CHANDIGARH: BJP president Rajnath Singh has said that the Congress was caught in a crisis of credibility, while its chief, Sonia Gandhi, through her statements during electioneering in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, had lowered the level of political debate.

Condemning Ms Gandhi for her diatribe against the BJP, Mr. Singh while talking to reporters here on Sunday said that it was understandable if during poll campaign some allegations are made against certain individuals, but using derogatory language against an entire rival party, was not acceptable. He said that while the BJP had entered the election fray in both parties with a development agenda, it was Congress which had vitiated the atmosphere, by communalising the issue.

Seeking to counter Ms Gandhi, who is reported to have described BJP as a party that was “corrupt and directionless,” Mr. Singh reminded the Congress that it was during the NDA government headed by Atal Behari Vajpayee that India arrived at the international scene as a “world economic power”.

Mr. Singh, who was on his way to address at least three election rallies in Himachal Pradesh, reiterated his two years’ old demand for a white paper on the rise in prices during the tenure of present government and challenged the UPA to present a single item on the essential commodities list, whose price it had succeeded to control. He said that Ms Gandhi needs to be reminded that prices of essential commodities were within control for six years during the NDA’s regime.

He charged that for the past 60 years the Congress had succeeded in generating a fear psychosis among the minorities and cornering the votes of the Muslims. He said that on the other hand, the BJP sought to win the confidence of the people without generating any ill-will.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Sonia lowered level of political debate: Rajnath
Dhindsa for separate Sikh Marriage Act
Undertrial escapes from custody

Copyright © 2007, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu