Hitting out at the Modi government over issues of unemployment and economic crisis, Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi on Saturday said that time for "struggle" has come if the country is to be "saved".
"For a long time, the country situation has become serious. It is our responsibility to come out of our homes and do something. A time comes in the life of everyone when you have to choose one among two sides to make a decision. Today the time has come. If we want to save the country then we have to struggle. The country is facing unemployment crisis like people have not seen in past decades," Gandhi said at her party's 'Bharat Bachao' rally here.
"When I look at farmers' condition, I feel pain. They are not getting seeds, fertilizers and do not get the right price for their produce. Small businessmen who had taken loans for business are destroyed by the policies of the Modi government. There are news of them committing suicide as they are unable to pay their loans," she said.
Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, former PM Dr Manmohan Singh were amongst party leaders who addressed the rally at Ramlila Maidan.
Singh, meanwhile, cornered Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Central government and said that it has only misled people in the last six years as they 'failed' to fulfil any of the promises made to youth and farmers of the country.
Addressing Congress "Bharat Bachao Rally" here at Ramila ground in the national capital on Saturday, Singh raked in BJP's poll-planks including employment to youths, doubling farmer's income and improving the GDP while asserting that none of these promises was fulfilled.
"Six years back Narendra Modi made fake promises to the people of the country. He promised that by 2024 the economy of the country will become 5 trillion. The income of farmers would be doubled in 5 years, youth will get 2 crores job every year. It has now been proved that all the promises were fake and he only misled people," said Manmohan Singh.
He also urged the people to strengthen the hands of Congress party.
"I urge all of you to strengthen the hands of Congress leaders Sonia and Rahul Gandhi and add more power to the congress party," he added.
I will never apologise for the truth: Rahul Gandhi
Gandhi on Saturday reiterated his stand and said that he will not apologise for "rape in India" remark.
"I was told by the BJP in Parliament yesterday, 'Rahul ji, you gave a speech. Apologise for that.' I was told to apologise for something which is right. My name is not Rahul Savarkar. My name is Rahul Gandhi. I will never apologise for truth," Gandhi said at the party's 'Bharat Bachao' rally here.
On Friday, the Congress leader refused to apologise for his remark and said that the issue is being raised by the BJP to deflect the attention of the people from protests in North-East over Citizen Amendment Act.
"I will not apologise... I have a clip in my phone in which Narendra Modi ji is calling Delhi a 'rape capital', will tweet it so that everyone can see. The main issue is Narendra Modi and Amit Shah set northeast on fire. Just to deflect attention from protests in North East, this is being made an issue by BJP," Gandhi had said.
Both houses of Parliament on Friday witnessed uproar as BJP members demanded an apology from the former Congress president.
Congress challenges Citizenship Act in Supreme Court
Congress leader T N Prathapan on Saturday knocked on the doors of the Supreme Court challenging the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019.
Prathapan, who is a lawmaker from Thrissur constituency, sought a direction to apply the provisions of the Act and certain other sections to all the victims of persecution who are in the territory of India.
More than a dozen petitions challenging the legality of Act have already been filed in the apex court. The petitioners include Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Mahua Moitra, Congress MP Jairam Ramesh, two NGOs, Uttar Pradesh's Peace Party, among others.
