Sonia calls upon people of Bihar to thwart divisive forces' design (update)

Addressing a public rally here on Saturday, Congress president Sonia Gandhi said that divisive forces were at work to create tension in Bihar before the assembly elections and called upon the people to thwart their design in the national interest.

"Though Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks of social development, he has given freedom to his ministers to say whatever they want, which hurts not just the sentiments of the people, but society and the nation as well. In his 'Mann Ki Baat' programme, the Prime Minister does lofty talks, but he doesn't think it right to criticise irresponsible statements given by their ministers," she said.

"Before the Lok Sabha elections, Modi had promised to give a corruption-free government, bringing back the black money stashed in foreign banks, 50 percent profit to the farmers and jobs to the youth, but had he fulfilled even a single promise," she sought to know.

Belying "tall claims" of the Narendra Modi government to reign in increasing prices of the essential commodities, Gandhi said the common man, especially women who look after their families, was bearing the brunt of high inflation as the government has failed to keep its promises.

"The Modi government wants to privatise the railways, which provide jobs to crores of people," Sonia said. "The proposal has created a serious problem for the railway employees and their families," she added.

The Prime Minister wanted to bring a law that would allow the open exploitation of labourers and workers, she stated further.