Jhabua (MP): Taking on the BJP on the issue of combating corruption, Congress president Sonia Gandhi said that while UPA had always acted promptly against those facing graft charges, what action had the party taken against Madhya Pradesh ministers facing Lokayukta probe.
Addressing a rally here, Gandhi said that whenever cases of corruption came to notice, the UPA immediately took legal action and people had to demit office.
"I want to ask the BJP leaders and you too ask them, many of their ministers face corruption cases in the Lokayukta and crores of rupees have been found from their leaders but was any action taken against them," Gandhi said.
Quoting an idiom - 'Hathi ke daant, khane ke aur, dikhane ke aur' Gandhi said, there is a unfathomable difference between what the BJP practised and what it preached.
She accused the BJP of being "double-faced" on the issue of fighting corruption. "Even if they keep patting themselves on the back, but you should ask them why is the present situation of Madhya Pradesh such. Why are kids malnourished. Why are farmers being driven to suicide? Do you get fertilisers and seeds on time? For this you will have to go to shops of BJP leaders," Gandhi said.
In Madhya Pradesh, electricity for irrigation was not being provided, crimes against women were rising and people did not feel secure, she said.
In her speech, Gandhi also made a veiled attack on BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi. "Nations are created by those who have clean hearts, who are dedicated to serving people. Will those who are greedy only for power, will they build the nation? What will they do for the country, who for their selfish reasons make brothers fight each other and spread discrimination in the society," Gandhi said.
She added that the history of Congress was filled with brave individuals who had sacrificed everything for their nation.
Gandhi further said that her party had worked to reserve seats for women in Panchayats and schemes and legal rights were created for them. "I tell you for several such schemes, the UPA has given the Madhya Pradesh government thousands of crores of rupees. But what has been the result. This corrupt BJP government did not utilise this money for you," she said.
"The UPA government did not provide this money so that it looted or put in the pockets of people but claimed that this had happened during BJP rule in Madhya Pradesh," Gandhi said.
The Congress president said that BJP had made several promises but would not fulfil them. Seeking votes for Congress candidates she promised that if her party is voted to power, it would waive farmers' loans, provide MSP on forest produce to tribals, free treatment in hospitals, return land to those whose lands had been taken away by the BJP government.
