Sonia criticises BJP for shielding corrupt

Denunciation of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as a party of the corrupt, and the gentle touch towards women seemed to be Congress chief Sonia Gandhi's twin approaches at her rallies in Delhi today.

She addressed three rallies in Mongolpuri, a resettlement colony, Dilshad Garden, a middle class locality, and Chiragh Dilli, a colony that is politically powerful and tilting towards the BJP.

Gandhi said the BJP had nothing to do with the freedom struggle, and put no value to social unity and equality.

"They promised a clean government before they came to power at the Centre. But they are deep in corruption as scam after scam""in defence deals, petrol pumps, UTI, land""tumble out of the BJP cupboard. We see them on television cameras accepting money for favours," Gandhi said. "This speaks loudly of their character," she said.

Worse, the BJP piles honour and office on such people, she said. How could the same people recite poems of nationalism and patriotism, she wondered.

Conscious that she was in the presence of a large crowd of women, Gandhi said the BJP preferred to deny women their due because of their parochial outlook. Under the BJP rule, she said, women were insecure and the poor, weak and minorities were suffering.

She cited cases of recent rapes and killings of women in different parts of the national capital and said law and order was in the hands of the central government ruled by the BJP-led coalition.

Gandhi said she would continue to fight for the empowerment of women till they become "fully secure and economically independent". She stopped and spoke to women for about 10 minutes after her speech.

Ridiculing the parivartan yatra launched by the state BJP unit, she advised the saffron party to bring out yatras against the central government, which had failed in fulfilling the aspirations of the people on all counts.

Lauding the performance of the party-ruled government in Delhi, headed by Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, Gandhi assured the people of her party's commitment to provide better life, development, security and a capital on a par with international standards.

"I appeal to you all to vote for the Congress and not elect the corrupt and scandal-hit BJP which came to power at the Centre by exploiting people"s sentiments and through manipulations," Gandhi said.