Sonia Gandhi condemns BJP's communal strategies

New Delhi, Sept 13 : Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Saturday condemned the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Sangh Parivar to divide the society on communal lines.

Strongly condemning the alleged strategy of the BJP and the Sangh Parivar she said that exposing their designs and combating their malicious propaganda is a big challenge for the party.

Addressing the extended Congress Working Committee meeting in New Delhi today, she said that every time the elections are round the corner, the BJP and the Sangh Parivar launch their most vicious communal campaign to polarise society with no regard for the loss of life. She said there is a need to make a vigorous effort to sustain the secular ethos of the country.

Turning to the assembly and Lok Sabha elections, Sonia said that the party is already in the poll gear and asked her partymen to implement the recommendations of the Antony Committee report in letter and spirit.

She made it clear that winnability and merit of the candidate will be the sole criteria for their selection and quota system cannot be continued. Briefing media, Chief Spokesman Veerappa Moily said that Sonia stressed the need for unity and discipline in the party. She said that several time the elections have been lost due to infighting.

Sonia said that the victory of the party is about the personal ambitions.

Turning to inflation she said that it is a matter of concern but the government has taken several measures to curb the rise in prices of the essential commodities. Congratulating the Prime Minister for the historic achievement with regard to the civil nuclear cooperation agreement the Congress President said the success of negotiations at International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) is a clear indication of the conviction of the Prime Minister and the party that the agreement fully protects country's strategic requirement and is in the interest of the people.

She said that it is imperative to counter the false propaganda being spread by the BJP, the Left parties and other political opponents.

The Prime Minister also sought to allay the concerns asserting that 123 agreement is binding on all parties concerned. He said that there is no cause of concern on any aspect of the Indo-US nuclear deal.

The PM also stressed the need for combating terrorism, communalism and naxalism.

ANI