Friday, November 11 2005 19:16 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Chapra: Accusing the erstwhile NDA government of having 'discriminated' against non BJP-ruled states, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi today (November 11, 2005) asserted that the present government at the centre did not believe in the politics of discrimination.

''The BJP-led NDA government discriminated against the states ruled by non-BJP parties and did nothing for the progress of the country and the states,'' Gandhi told a series of election meetings at Araria, Benipatti, Bettiah and here.

Addressing a joint election meeting with Railway Minister and RJD supremo Lalu Prasad in his Chapra parliamentary constituency, she alleged that the previous NDA government at the centre had 'curtailed the central assistance' when RJD was in power in Bihar.

It discriminated against Congress-ruled Rajasthan and Orissa when the two states were ravaged by drought, flood and cyclone in which over 15,000 people had perished and thousands had been rendered homeless.

''But the UPA government doesn't believe in politics of discrimination,'' the Congress president claimed and asserted that despite the electoral reverses suffered by the party in the past, it had never compromised with its principle and ideology and continued its fight against communal and fascist forces out to divide society.

Referring to the Rural Employment Guarantee Act, Gandhi said that over 200 districts, mostly from the backward states ruled by non-Congress parties, have been covered under the programme.

''We propose to extend such coverage to more districts in the states which proves that the UPA has no bias against a state,'' she said.

Earlier, addressing meetings at Araria and Bettiah to convass support for the SDF candidates on the last day of campaigning for the crucial third phase Assembly elections in Bihar slated for November 13, Gandhi alleged that the NDA had only sowed seeds of 'hatred and brought the country on the verge of devastation'.

She promised that the RJD-led SDF in the event of coming to power, would do justice to all and firmly take on the communal and fascist forces.

She said that the SDF would work on the basis of the common minimum programme on the pattern of the UPA government at the centre.