Law and order a concern in Gujarat, says Sonia

Devgadh Baria, Jan 20: Expressing concern over the ''deteriorating law and order'' situation in Gujarat, Congress President Sonia Gandhi today said the crimes against women and weaker sections has increased in the state by leaps and bounds.

''Gujarat is a peace-loving state but in recent years, the violent incidents have shaken it. Anything can happen at any moment.

The commonman does not feel protected in this state which is a cause for concern,'' she said, addressing a huge gathering here after the conclusion of the four-day 'Jan Mitra Shibir' organised by the state Congress.

In an apparent indirect reference to the Modi government in the state, Ms Gandhi said,''In Gujarat, nationalism is being presented in a distorted way. Driven by hunger for power, hatred is being spread and their aim is to create fissures among the communities.

This is not good for the nation's unity and the Congress will not sit as a silent spectator.'' She said the crime rate has increased in adivasi areas, women are also not safe. Atrocities against weaker sections has also increased, she alleged.

Accusing the state government of not implementing tribal welfare programmes, she said even as many as 40,000 government jobs reserved for SC/STs are lying vacant. ''This reflected the government's policies,'' she added.

She also expressed anguish that the name of Gandhiji was being used for ''political'' gavies by ''opportunist'' leaders. ''They are actually insulting Gandhiji's name. They are just putting up a show. How can we trust these people?. Their talk of nationalism is all meaningless. Those who claim to be rashtravadi, they are only kursivadi (power hungry) and the country cannot progress under them,'' she emphasised.

Stating that the state is the land of Gandhiji and Sardar Patel, and had taken a lead in the freedom struggle, she appealed the Congress workers to fight for the party's ideology. ''This is not the time to sit, but to counter the state government's misinformation campaign about nationalism. It is trying to stick to power with the help of muscle power and misleading campaigns.'' Expressing ''dismay'' that the Gujarat government had been slow in implementation of the Central schemes, Ms Gandhi said it has not been using the Central funds given for such projects as Sarv Sikha Abhiyan and Rozgar schemes.

She said,''After UPA government came to power, we have provided crores of rupees to Gujarat for various schemes for electrification, road development, literacy programmes,--all the data are avail able with us. But Gujarat has not been using the Central funds properly.'' She asked the Congress workers to ensure that the funds are utilised here properly by the Gujarat government and make use of the Right to Information Act to avail details about it.

UNI