Pressure on Pak worked for India: Sonia

In an apparent reference to Pakistan admitting that the Mumbai attacks were partly planned on its soil, Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Sunday said diplomatic pressure exerted on Islamabad forced it to speak out the truth.

She also said India was fully capable of defeating the "evil designs" of terrorists.

Addressing a public meeting in Uchana in Haryana, Gandhi said "Some elements which are not happy with India's progress are trying to create obstacles from time to time."

"Terrorism is one such impediment," the Congress chief said. Gandhi, however, said the country was fully capable of defeating the evil designs of these elements and added that India's restraint should not be treated as weakness.

Pakistan had last month admitted that the 26/11 carnage was partly planned in the country.

The Congress chief also said that the Indian economy continues to be strong despite the recent global economic slowdown and attributed it to the policies followed by the former prime ministers Jawahar Lal Nehru and Indira Gandhi.

 "Even though the recession had hit globally, India's economy is strong. This is because of the foundation laid and policies followed by the two leaders," Gandhi said.

Seeking to reach out to the people ahead of the elections, the Congress chief said the country had made rapid progress in all fields under the present United Progressive Alliance regime.

Attacking the previous Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance dispensation, she criticised their "India Shining" slogan, saying the nation got derailed from the path of progress under their rule.

Earlier, Gandhi inaugurated the Rajiv Gandhi Mahavidyalya in Uchana. She also inaugurated an exhibition on the former prime minister.