With the curtains coming down on campaigning for the first phase of polls in six seats on Monday, Congress today said the Lok Sabha election is a "clash between two competing visions" and asked the people whether they want to choose a "pluralistic" or a "theocratic" India.
Addressing a press meet at the Congress headquarters here, Union minister and party spokesperson Manish Tewari also castigated BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi's close aide Amit Shah for his comments on Muzaffarnagar riots.
"The 2014 election is more than anything... A clash between two competing visions - a plural, secular and inclusive vision represented by Congress and a theocratic and majoritarian vision represented by BJP.
"The events that played out in the past two days -- the sting done by a news portal and statements attributed to the former Gujarat Home Minister (Shah) only goes to reinforce the apprehension we have been articulating that in BJP, you have a political party, which is ready to go to any extent in quest for power," Tewari said.
With opinion polls projecting a surging BJP and the worst ever performance for Congress, Tewari asked what is the kind of India the people want in next five years - a pluralistic India or a theocratic India?
Tewari hit out at BJP over non-release of its manifesto, saying while its leaders found time to issue a 'charge-sheet' against the UPA government, they could not find time to articulate their position on policies even as campaigning for the first phase of polls ends today.
"This only shows the scant regard they have for the people. The only thing that matters to them is the obsession to market a personality... Individual centric politics has become more important than any articulation on issues," he said.
Tewari noted that the experience of personality politics has so far been "disastrous" in all regimes -- from democratic to totalitarian.
