Modi forced to bow before Power of ‘Hal and Haath’: Sonia Gandhi

New Delhi, Sep 20: Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Sunday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi was forced to “bow” on the land bill issue before the power of the ‘plough and hand’ or “hal aur haath’.

In a hard-hitting attack on Modi at the “Kisan Samman Rally” held by the Congress at the Ramlila Maidan here to mark the party’s “victory” on the land bill, Gandhi charged the BJP-led government with failing on all fronts.

In a speech in Hindi, Gandhi said Modi has time only for his industrialist friends, and not for farmers and labourers. She accused the government of trying to create tension and said prices of food commodities have risen sharply.

“The Modi government, as is its habit, is indulging in just talking and making speeches. It is encouraging activities which take away attention of the people from the real issues. It wants to create such tension which will be a danger for the country’s future and national unity. It is the biggest challenge before us which we have to face unitedly,” Gandhi said.

She said the country’s interest was supreme for the Congress party and it was prepared to make any sacrifice for it.

The Congress chief said Modi overlooked the seriousness of the agitation against the “black” land ordinance, but “had to bow his head” when the “force of hand and plough combined together”.

The hand is the election symbol of the Congress and the plough is associated with the farming community.