Sunday, May 29 2005 21:44 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Accusing the previous National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Government of being communal in nature, Congress president Sonia Gandhi today (May 29, 2005) said it had tried to cause harm to the history of the country.

Addressing a rally of Jamiat-Ulama-i-Hind in New Delhi, she said that the Vajpayee Government had tried to "distort" the history. Some elements were trying to poison the society and that some recent incidents had damaged the country's image, she said.

"Those who indulge in such activities, whatever be their aim, they are nobody's friend", Gandhi told the assembly of hundreds of Ulemas.

"The former Government was a communal Government. It tried to damage the history. The freedom struggle of the country was also distorted", she said adding the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government had taken action to correct it.

Asserting that the Centre had taken a number of initiatives for the benefit of minorities, the UPA Chairperson said, "Still a lot needs to be done. We may not be working upto your expectation, but I assure you that all genuine demands will be addressed. Our intention is sincere".

Referring to Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA), she described it as a major issue, which Congress had opposed in Parliament and outside.

"First thing our Government did was to repeal the POTA", she said adding the POTA Review Committee had released all those framed under this act.

The Government had set up a National Commission of Minorities for employment and education, Sonia Gandhi said and added the Government had several programmes for upliftment of the minorities. She specifically referred to promotion of Urdu language.

She said that the principles of Congress and Jamait-Ulama-i-Hind were similar and both had worked for the freedom of the country. This, she said, had to be communicated to the new generation.

Emphasising the importance of communal harmony and brotherhood for the country's progress, she noted that the Congress under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad had tried to provide justice to all sections of the society.