Lucknow: Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Tuesday said her party believes in doing concrete work for the country instead of indulging in show off as she slammed the BJP over the inauguration spree ahead of the UP Assembly polls.
The Congress leader also sought to counter the allegations that her party did nothing under its “70-year rule” in the country, a rhetoric rival parties use to slam the Congress as it ruled a majority of the period after the country’s Independence.
Responding to questions during a Facebook live, she asked the BJP what it did in the past seven years of its rule.
“BJP people question about what the Congress did in 70 years. If you see there are so many achievements. Where the country has reached today, institutes like AIIMS, IITs were set up and so much work has been done, even the process of making vaccines for polio was started during the Congress rule,” she said.
“The attitude was to do concrete work for progress and not for ‘dikhava’ (show off),” Priyanka added.
Attacking the BJP, she asked the party what programmes it started and institutes opened.
“What have you seen in seven years, which programme has been undertaken or which institute they have set up. When the elections are near, you see the foundation stone of an airport being laid or a highway being inaugurated. Why at the election time,” she asked.
“This question of 70 years, where we are standing today is the foundation of 70 years , what have you done in seven years, we have worked continuously for people,” said Priyanka, who is leading her party’s poll campaign in Uttar Pradesh.
To a question on an alleged write-up by CM Yogi Adityanath in the past that women should be controlled, the Congress leader said, “It clearly reflected the ideology of Yogi, BJP and its leaders towards women. Women power can change the country, there is no need to control it and who are you to control it,” she said.
Priyanka said the difference between the Congress and other parties politics is that her party thinks that it is answerable to people.
“We do not take it for granted that you will vote for us on caste or religion lines and this means that we will work for you as we think working for you is our duty and not a favour,” she said.
To a question on mudslinging against Congress candidate from Hastinapur, Archana Gautam, who had won the Miss Bikini India contest in 2018 and has also featured in a couple of Hindi films, Priyanka said she has struggled a lot and has attained the position.
“The way mudslinging is going on and also the media asking questions on her dresses and marriage, I want to say why don’t you ask such a question to Narendra Modi or any man? Why do you want to demean her just because she is a woman,” she asked.
“The opposition may think that our candidates are weak but we have given them tickets so that those who are suffering and struggling in their lives can be strengthened,” she said. On challenges faced by her party, she said stressed on politics of development.
“We have an economic challenge about how our youth should get employment, better health and education,” she said.
She also spoke on her efforts to reach Lakhimpur Kheri following the mowing down of four farmers there last year.
Priyanka said she was chased by police and she took a village road and an agriculture field to avoid being spotted by them late in the night.