Kerala - Thrissur   

Only Congress can fight terrorism: Sonia

— PHOTO: K.K. Najeeb

SEEKING SUPPORT: Congress president Sonia Gandhi with UDF candidates K.P. Dhanapalan, N.K. Sudheer and P.C. Chacko at a campaign meeting held at the Thekkinkad Maidan in Thrissur on Wednesday.

Thrissur: Congress president Sonia Gandhi has said that only her party can fight terrorism and communalism. She was addressing a Lok Sabha election campaign meeting at the Thekkinkad Maidan here on Wednesday.

“Ours is the only force that can keep the country united and address the aspirations of people, irrespective of their language, caste, faith, religion and community. There are political parties that divide people and society on the basis of religion, and seek to mobilise people inflaming religious passion and prejudice.

There are forces that do not like the country to prosper and (they) engage in brutal terror attacks,” she said.

She claimed the UPA government, unlike the NDA, had sanctioned huge funds for the development of the State. “The State has benefited from the Vallarpadam container terminal project, LNG terminal project, Vizhinjam harbour project, railway coach factory in Palakkad, a national highway project and major schemes to promote cashew, cardamom and coconut. Closed tea gardens have been opened. There have been special packages for Idukki and Wayanad. The Congress does not differentiate between States,” she said.

She said the country needed a stable government at the Centre. “A vote for the Congress will be one for secularism and social justice.”

She said her visit to Thrissur, though only for a few hours, was special. “In Thrissur district, one can be blessed with the energy and radiance of the Sree Vadakkunathan Temple, Guruvayur Sree Krishna Temple, Cheraman Juma Masjid and Palayur St. Thomas Church. They are symbols of coexistence between people of different faiths.”

Defence Minister A.K. Antony; Leader of the Opposition Oommen Chandy; KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala; Therambil Ramakrishnan, MLA; and K.P. Dhanapalan, UDF candidate in Chalakudy Lok Sabha seat; also spoke. DCC president C.N. Balakrishnan; and P.C. Chacko and N K. Sudheer, UDF candidates in the Thrissur and Alathur Lok Sabha seats respectively, were present. She later left for Kottayam.

Staff Reporter writes from Kottayam:

UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi has accused the Left Democratic Front (LDF) of fomenting violence “whenever they come to power in the State”. Ms. Gandhi slammed the Left of being ‘corrupt’ and said they stood divided today. “They are fighting for the spoils,” said the AICC president and added that they had no right to point a finger at the Congress. Dubbing the LDF the primary opponent in the State, Ms. Gandhi said their mindset and ideology were set in the past. She also questioned the secular credentials of the Left. “We have not supported the BJP ever,” Ms. Gandhi said.

Ms. Gandhi said and pointed out that the outlay of financial support received by the State during the UPA government came to Rs.40,000 crore. The Central government has not only invested hugely in the infrastructure development projects in the highways and harbours, it has also made investments through the National Thermal Power Corporation and the Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd, she said.

The UPA chairperson said that on account of the performance of the UPA government, the BJP has been left with no issues to take up in the elections and they have trained their gun on the Prime Minister. She called upon the people not to forget that the largest number of terror attacks occurred during the NDP regime.

Ms. Gandhi said in Mr. Singh the nation had a Prime Minister of highest integrity and the nation needed his experience, expertise and vision at this juncture. Ms. Gandhi arrived at the dais by 2.55 p.m., accompanied by KPCC president Ramesh Cehnnithala, Opposition Leader Oommen Chandy, Kerala Congress (M) leader K.M. Mani and others. She introduced the UDF candidates for the 15th Lok Sabha elections—Jose K. Mani (Kottayam), Kodikunnil Suresh (Mavelikkara) and Anto Antony (Pathanamthitta).

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