Sonia Gandhi's retort came days after PM Modi accused the Congress president and her son Rahul Gandhi of disrupting Parliament. (File photo)
Hitting back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his remarks on Parliament disruption, Congress president Sonia Gandhi today condemned "efforts to suppress her party's voice" whenever it tried to raise issues concerning the poor and common man in the House.
"Whenever Congress party tries to raise issues concerning the common people and the poor, its voice is suppressed and not only this, the blame is also put on it (Congress) and the Nehru-Gandhi family," she said.
Her retort came days after PM Modi, while addressing a rally in Guwahati apparently singled out the Gandhi family and accused the Congress president and her son Rahul Gandhi of disrupting Parliament to avenge defeat in 2014 Lok Sabha polls.
Ms Gandhi was addressing office-bearers of 11 front organisations of the party on the second and last day of her visit to her Rae Bareli Lok Sabha constituency.
"Congress believes in composite culture but some forces are busy in spoiling the communal amity of the country...unfortunately these very forces have power in their hands at the Centre," she was quoted as saying in a party release in Rae Bareli.
"They do not have faith in 'sarva dharma sama bhava' and are weakening constitutional institutions," she told the office-bearers of Youth Congress, NSUI, Seva Dal, SC/ST cell among others.
On the Prime Minister's slogan against graft, Ms Gandhi said that PM Modi's promises were "hollow" and his intentions were something other than what he claimed.
PM Modi had alleged that "one family" was indulging in "negative politics" as he claimed that there are leaders in opposition parties other than Congress who want Parliament to function even though they oppose him.
"Those who have lost the election (in 2014) and have come down from 400 to 40 have decided not to allow Modi to work. They have decided to create obstacles and difficulties. The conspiracy for the same is going on," he had said.
The Congress president exhorted party workers to ensure the victory of party nominee Dinesh Singh in the upcoming elections to the UP Legislative Council.
Earlier, she met the electorate at the Bhueymau guest house and assured of all possible help.
Among those who met her included Delhi University gold medallists Ankita Tripathi and cricketer Samarth Singh. Gandhi encouraged them to continue good work in their respective fields.
She paid a visit to Congress leader Mishrilal Jain who is suffering from some illness. She also reviewed the working of the organisation at the Congress office Tilak Bhawan. She later left for New Delhi.