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Pakistan took advantage of BJP government's incompetence, says Sonia

Sonia Gandhi today kicked off the Congress election campaign in Maharashtra by launching a veiled attack on leaders of the Nationalist Congress Party and calling them "betrayers".

Addressing a well-attended rally of about 30,000 people standing in the heavy downpour at Bhor, about 50km from Pune, Gandhi, in a cautious attack on former Congress Working Committee member Sharad Pawar, who is now the president of the NCP, said some elements who claim to be Congressmen had betrayed the party.

This has been happening since the days of Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, she said, adding that even now some people whom "we considered ours have betrayed us".

But history has shown that such people do not get the support of the people, the Congress president said.

Gandhi expressed concern for the attacks on minorities in Maharashtra and Gujarat and said the respective state governments were least bothered about protecting the people.

The country has a rich tradition of equality and social justice, she added.

Lauding the personality of the Maratha king Shivaji and the communal harmony that prevailed under his rule, she said it was painful to see "some elements" [read the Shiv Sena] claiming to take inspiration from him and spreading communal hatred.

Referring to the Kargil issue, she blamed the Centre for the loss of the lives of hundreds of soldiers while fighting the Pakistani intruders.

If the Centre had been alert and had taken timely action, "we would not have lost so many of our troops in Kargil", she observed.

The central government was sleeping while the intrusion took place in Kargil and this is a crime, she said.

Pakistan, Gandhi charged, took advantage of an "incompetent government".

UNI

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