Priyanka Gandhi begins UP campaign with blistering attack on BJP

Varanasi (UP): Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday, kicked off her party's campaign for the upcoming UP assembly elections by mounting a blistering attack on the ruling BJP.

Addressing a mammoth rally in Varanasi, Priyanka took on the Centre and State governments on the issue of farmers and injustice to the poor.

"In the past two years, I have been working in UP. Two years ago, 13 adivasis were killed in a land dispute in Sonbhadra. Some leaders of the ruling BJP were involved and the people said that they had no hope for justice. I went there and each of the victims' families said that they wanted justice," she said.

Priyanka said that then came the pandemic and we saw people dying without oxygen, without medicines. People had hoped that the government would help but no help came and so many died in this hope.

"After this, Hathras happened and the government shielded the accused and there was no justice for the victim's family. The same has happened in Lakhimpur where farmers were mowed down by a minister's son and the government is shielding the accused," she said.

Priyanka Gandhi announced that the Congress would continue to fight on the Lakhimpur issue untill the union minister Ajay Mishra Teni submits his resignation to allow an impartial probe into the incident.

She said that nowhere in the world, does the police send an invitation to the accused to record his statement. "But in Lakhimpur, the minister's son was invited to give his statement. Is this how justice is done?" she asked.

In an attack on UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath, she said that he insulted Dalits who work as safai karamcharis.

"I went to a Valmiki temple in Lucknow and swept the floor. I met the residents of the Dalit basti and every family told me that though their children were educated, they had no employment. Today the Prime Minister's 'crorepati' friends are earning thousands of crores every day but the people of this country are facing unemployment," she said.

The Congress leader said that the Prime Minister had bought two aircraft for himself, each costing Rs 8,000 crore. "The two aircraft cost the country Rs 16,000 but Air India has been sold for Rs 18,000 crore to benefit his friends," she stated.

She said that farmers were the real 'Ganga putra' of the country but the Prime Minister, who travels across the globe, has not found time to even talk to those who are sitting on Delhi borders.

Priyanka said that it was the sons of farmers who are protecting out borders, who ensure our safety and freedom.

"This country is a hope. Gandhi ji had hope for freedom and justice for the poor but today, justice and hope is only for those who are with the BJP, its leaders and their friends. The country is being destroyed and the media is being used to create a campaign that shows all is well. We will fight against injustice and force them to give us justice just like we fought for Independence," she said.

Earlier, Priyanka visited the Kashi Vishwanath temple and the Durga temple where she offered prayers. She began her speech with the Sanskrit shlok on Navratri.