Gujarat looking for change, says Sonia

Attacks CPI (M) in a veiled manner at CPP meet.

Congress President Sonia Gandhi today used the choicest words on the issue of Assembly elections in Gujarat, where the party is battling the Hindutva mascot, Chief Minister Narendra Modi of the BJP.

She attacked the Modi government's claims of development as "highly exaggerated and in some cases false". She said it was her impression that people of Gujarat were looking forward to change.

In an indication that the party was getting into the election mode, she expressed hope that the MPs would spend time in their constituencies among the people, speak to them about the party's programmes and learn what they expected from the party.

She preceded the remark by complimenting the prime minister, noting, "We have many accomplishments to our credit."

Referring to recent violence in Assam, Gandhi said it needed to be condemned in the strongest possible terms. She said the party's government was prompt in ordering an inquiry and asking for a CBI investigation.

On recent blasts in Uttar Pradesh, she said people of the state had maintained social peace and harmony in the face of grave provocation.

"There is clearly a need for stepped up actionable intelligence and for greater vigilance and monitoring of sensitive public places," she said.

She referred to "some new initiatives of great significance" announced by the government in recent days, including the Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme, a Rs 790-crore integrated handloom development programme and the National Urban Housing and Habitat Policy.

In a significant comment, she deemed the violence in Nandigram as "unfortunate" and as an act of "armed party cadres who prevented the law and order machinery from fulfilling its obligations".

This criticism of the government's Left allies comes a day after the CPI(M) followed the BJP and the rest of the Opposition in a walkout after the debate on the Indo-US nuclear deal in the Rajya Sabha. These are by far the strongest words that Gandhi has used in the last 11 months on the issue.

It also follows West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee's admission that Nandigram was a "political and administrative failure".

Election saga...

EC notice to Modi
The Election Commission has taken cognisance of the recent controversial speech of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and issued him a show-cause notice for alleged "spread of hatred among the communities".

In its notice, that refers to Modi's speech in Mangrol on December 4, the Commission has said that the "Commission, prima facie, is of the view that the references to Sohrabuddin (who was allegedly killed in an encounter) and linking his name to terrorism, made in the speech, amounts to indulging in activity which may aggravate existing differences, creating mutual hatred and causing tension".

According to sources, Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalaswami had himself viewed the video recording of Modi's speech in which he had reportedly justified the killing of Sohrabuddin by the state agencies.

The counsel for Gujarat, T K Tulsi, has already protested at Modi's remarks and threatened to withdraw from the Gujarat government's case in the Supreme Court.

Sonia hates Hindus: BJP
The BJP has said that Sonia hates Hindus and has remained silent on "atrocities" committed against the community.

The party added while Gandhi talks of the "merchants of death" in Gujarat, she has neither apologised for the 1984 anti-Sikh riots nor spoken about the plight of the 500,000 Kashmiri Pandits who have been uprooted from the Valley.