The Hindu : National : Sheila Dikshit criticises PM's comments on Sonia

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Apr 22, 2004

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National

Sheila Dikshit criticises PM's comments on Sonia

By Our Special Correspondent

MUMBAI, APRIL 21 . On a fleeting visit to Mumbai today, the Delhi Chief Minister, Sheila Dikshit, criticised the Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, for his comments at a rally in Chhattisgarh, where he had reportedly said Ms. Sonia Gandhi's expression was like that of a matam (someone in mourning).

"The Prime Minister says that people should not make personal attacks, yet he goes on doing this," she said. "They (the BJP) attack Ms. Gandhi the moment they find she is receiving a warm response during her campaign."

Ms. Dikshit was here to campaign for her party candidates contesting from the city.

Speaking informally to reporters, she said that she was not perturbed by the latest exit polls, which showed the NDA alliance leading in most States, because she did not believe them. "The last time they said we would win in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh and that it would be neck and neck in Madhya Pradesh, but look what happened," she said. She said that she could not understand how the opinions of a few hundred people could reflect the opinion of crores. "I believe people get unfairly influenced. Not everyone has time to analyse the data. The difference between the polls is so enormous. They can influence those not committed either way."

Ms. Dikshit said that this time people were looking for good candidates and she was particularly encouraged by the response to the younger candidates of her party.

Defending the Congress' decision to field Sajjan Kumar and Jagdish Tytler despite their alleged involvement in the anti-Sikh riots following Indira Gandhi's assassination, she said: "We are sorry. We are not happy with what happened. But we have to let bygones be bygones."

The Delhi Government had made a special effort to meet the demands of the Sikh community, including making Punjabi the second language in the State and opening a university in the name of Guru Gobind Singh.

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