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And the impressive crowd that turned up at Chowpaty despite the scorching heat may have well sent alarm bells ringing for chief minister Narendra Modi, as Congress flexed muscles at the conclusion of Gandhi Sandesh Yatra. On her maiden visit to this coastal town, Sonia first paid her respects to Mahatma Gandhi at his birthplace at Kirti Mandir and then drove to Chowpaty with thousands lined up along the road cheering her.

Addressing the huge gathering, Sonia, without taking Modi's name, said those who opposed to Mahatma Gandhi's ideology were in power in Gujarat and were instrumental in spreading violence among people. But they will have to pay a price for the injustice meted out to the people of Gujarat and for their divisive tactics for the sake of votes, she said. She alleged during the Gandhi Sandesh Yatra, organised by Congress as part of the centenary of Mahatma Gandhi's `satyagraha' movement in South Africa, anti-social elements supported by the BJP government vandalised posters of the Father of the Nation and also harassed cyclists participating in the rally.

Referring to Gujarat as the ``land of saints'', she said Mahatma Gandhi had given the weapon of `satyagraha' to the weaker sections of society to fight against injustice. Terming the Gujarat government as anti-farmer, she said while giving away land to industrial houses at throwaway prices, the landless farmers were being ignored.

Sonia assured Gujarat fishermen that the Centre was making efforts for early release of fishermen languishing in Pakistani jails. She said the government was also trying to help release of captured boats of the fishermen.

Union defence minister A K Antony, Congress chief's political advisor Ahmed Patel, Union textiles minister Shankersinh Vaghela, former Madhya Pradesh CM Digvijay Singh, opposition leader in Gujarat assembly Arjun Modhavadia and GPCC president Bharatsinh Solanki were also present on the occasion.