Sonia woos minorities, dalits ahead of civic polls

Mumbai, Dec 23: Congress president Sonia Gandhi today launched the party campaign for the February 1 elections to Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation(BMC) by highliting the UPA government's agenda for minorities, dalits and tribals as also the Centre's commitment to develop the metropolis into an international economic hub.

Along with BMC, elections would be simultaneously held in 8 other cities of the State.

''The Centre is committed to develop Mumbai into an international economic hub....it has approved 13 projects for development of water-based transport and infrastructure and sanctioned several projects for housing, sewerage and drinking water supply,'' she said while addressing the party rally in jam-packed Shivaji Park here late this afternoon amid unprecedented security.

All roads in the vicinity of the rally site were closed to vehicular traffic and an elaborate security umbrella was thrown around the venue to thwart any untoward incident.

Notwithstanding the denials about the purpose of the rally made by Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, his cabinet colleague Narayan Rane and city Congress chief Gurudas Kamat, the AICC president harped on the UPA government's 15-point programme for uplift of minorities, backward classes, adivasis ( scheduled tribes) and women, adding it has already cleared reservation for OBC students in higher education.

The Chief Minister and his colleagues claimed that today's rally was planned two months ago and it is a coincidence that the State Election Commission announced polls for 9 civic bodies.

Recalling the dalit killings at Khairlanji, Ms Gandhi, who had recently granted audience in Delhi to the lone survivor of the victim family - Bhaiyalal Bhotmange - expressed the hope that Central Bureau of Investigation will complete the probe quickly and ensure justice for the victims who were killed by a mob on September 29, triggering protests by Dalits across Maharashtra for over two months.

The State government, under pressure built up by Dalit organisations , handed over the investigation to CBI last month.

Without naming the ruling combine of Shiv Sena and BJP in BMC , the Ms Ganghi president called upon people to remain alert to the designs of '' divisive political elements'' who, she alleged, could resort to violence to sustain power. ''Such elements can go to any extent to disturb social and communal harmony when they are out of power,'' she warned in her 10-minute address in Hindi.

Contrasting her party with such elements, she said '' Whether Congress is in power or in opposition we have always behaved in a responsible manner and never lost our balance like others.'' Lauding the catholic character of Mumbai, the congress President said the city is mascot of India where people from all parts of the country have toiled hard to make the city what it is today. But she cautioned the people that they should be alert to forces who try to undermine the social fabic of the city. '' Social equity is our nation's strength and our capital to grow stronger .... we must maintain social harmony to enable Mumbai and India to develop.'' Pointing towards a large turnout of women at the rally, Ms Gandhi said '' Women can better distinguish between right and wrong.'' She thanked the people of Maharashtra for recent victory of the Congress in two Assembly by-elections.

All Union Ministers from Maharashtra belonging to the Congress - Shivraj Patil, Shushil Kumar Shinde, Murli Deora, A R Antulay, Vilas Muttenwar and Prithiraj Chavan, were present on the occasion.

Besides 16 Congress MLAs from the city, MPs - Priya Dutt , Govinda , Milind Deora and Eknath Gaikwad - also attended the rally.

UNI