Congress president Sonia Gandhi  Thursday took on the BJP for failing to contain terrorism when it ruled India for six years under Atal Bihari Vajapyee's leadership.

 

 The Congress alone was capable of protecting the country's integrity, Gandhi told an election rally here. "The BJP says we are soft on terror. The truth is the nation was marred  by terrorist attacks during their six year rule," she said, referring to the 1998-2004 when a BJP-led coalition governed India. 

 

 "Congress leaders have sacrificed their lives for the nation. We will keep fighting for India's integrity," Gandhi said.

 

 She said if the Congress-led UPA was re-elected, easy loans up to Rs.5 lakh would be given to farmers and the Mahatma National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) would be extended to cover animal husbandary too.

 

 "We will empower our farmers and create more job opportunities by bringing animal husbandry under MNREGA. We will give pension to senior citizens," she promised.

 

 The Congress leader asked the electorate to choose wisely between the two ideologies represented by her party and the BJP. "On one hand you have people who do no believe in brotherhood and on  the other hand there is the Congress which respects everyone," she said.