Sonia Gandhi, who is in the news for her memoir 'Belonging: A Journey Of Love' scheduled to be launched worldwide on November 10, alleged that people are recognising the "great damage" that has been done to India, its democracy and its institutions under the Bharatiya Janata Party's rule over the last 12 years.
Gandhi, in an interview to The Hindu, asserted that the restlessness among people is growing, adding that she is "not so pessimistic" when told about the decline of the Congress.
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"We never made any compromises with the BJP and the RSS, and we never will," she said.
Amply Proved Of Vote Chori: Gandhi
Reiterating Congress stand on alleged "vote chori", former Congress president said it has been amply proved in recent months that many elections have been stolen, and people are now more aware of it.
"Our workers and leaders have faced persecution of all kinds and yet, in every village and every district, Congressmen and women are still fighting for the values enshrined in our Constitution. What is more, it has been amply proved in recent months that many elections have been stolen, and people are now more aware of it,” Gandhi stated.
Indira Gandhi ji And Rajiv Gandhi ji Inspired Me: Gandhi
“When I arrived in India as a young bride, I knew nothing about India. All that I am and know today, I learnt from them (Indira Gandhi ji and Rajiv Gandhi ji). Their courage, their empathy, their commitment to a secular and democratic India and, most of all, the pull of duty that was greater than any other for both of them was something that inspired me and held me steadfast during times of difficulty and doubt,” said the CPP chairperson.
Was Sonia Gandhi Doing Vote Chori For NDA: BJP's Jibe
The BJP hit back at Gandhi over the vote chori issue, saying the NDA's victory rate in elections under Gyanesh Kumar as chief election commissioner is less than that under VS Sampath as CEC and asked if "Sonia Gandhi was doing vote chori" for its rival.
In a post on X, BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari said Sampath was appointed as the CEC during the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) rule. Sampath served as the 18th CEC from June 11, 2012, to January 15, 2015. Bhandari said that the NDA won 75 per cent of the elections held during Sampath's tenure as the CEC.
The NDA has won around 66 per cent of the elections during Kumar's tenure as the CEC, he said. "NDA's winning strike rate under Gyanesh Kumar as CEC is less than that under VS Sampath as CEC," the BJP spokesperson said.
"So was Sonia Gandhi doing 'Vote Chori' for the BJP as per Rahul Gandhi's genius brain?" he asked.
(With PTI Inputs)