In a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his recent remarks that the Congress “would not spare even the mangalsutra of women”, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Tuesday said he would not make such a statement if he knew the value of the mangalsutra.
Challenging him to fight the elections on issues such as price rise and unemployment, Ms. Vadra said, “How many more elections will you fight on Hindu-Muslim agenda? Do you know our party’s tradition? My grandmother Indira Gandhi donated her mangalsutra during the war. My mother’s mangalsutra was also sacrificed for the country,” she said referring to the assassination of her father.
“This country has been free for the past 75 years and 55 years the Congress was in power. Did Congress ever snatch your gold or mangalsutra?” she asked addressing a public meeting in Bengaluru South.
Sacrifice for family
Asserting that the BJP does not know women’s problems, she said women sacrifice everything for the family. “When a farmer’s debt increases, his wife mortgages her mangalsutra. When children in the family fall sick and when money is needed, the woman sacrifices her jewellery. Where was his concern for women when he announced demonetisation, when he suddenly announced the lockdown, when there was no food and transport for our countrymen?”
Referring to the massive farmers’ protest, she said more than 600 farmers died. “Why did our Prime Minister not show any concern for the mangalsutras of their wives? In Manipur, when women were assaulted and their mangalsutras were at stake, where was the Prime Minister? He is making such statements now during elections out of desperation. If he was concerned about women’s mangalsutras, he would have given employment for the men in their families and would have empowered the women,” she said.
No morality, only drama
Addressing another meeting in Chitradurga earlier, Ms. Vadra alleged that the biggest leader of the country has given up morality and is only doing “drama” before people. “Do not get carried away by his falsehood and choose wisely in the Lok Sabha polls,” she said.
Stating that there are two different realities in the country today, Ms. Vadra said, “One reality is inflation and increasing unemployment while the other reality is what you see on television where you see our Prime Minister who tells you that our country is progressing rapidly.”
