Congress committed for prosperity of all: Sonia Gandhi

“Make comparison with past regimes on development scale”
October 11, 2009, Nuh (Haryana): Expressions were profuse and well-punctuated with gratitude as All India Congress Committee president Sonia Gandhi thanked a mammoth gathering while addressing an election rally at Nuh in Haryana on the concluding day of election campaign on Sunday, for making the Congress party the biggest political force in the state since 1999.
“I feel a sense of pride whenever I come here as Haryana has a special place in the Indian culture and its freedom movement. I salute this land of brave people whose patriotic loyalty is written in golden letters in the history of India,” remarked Congress president.
Harping on the developmental issues and the party’s concern for the common people, Gandhi told the gathering that until the weaker section of the society gets uplifted, the basic objective of development could not be achieved.
Congress President said, “Our party fights for your cause. For instance, it has worked for the progress of Mewat. The Haryana government has created a Mewat Development Board and Mewat has been made a district.”
She further said, “Drinking water has been a problem in this region. As a redressal measure, the Hooda government launched Rajiv Gandhi Drinking Water Scheme worth Rs 425 crores in this region. And you know, I had myself come here to inaugurate this project.”
Reflecting on the national agenda of the Congress-led UPA government, Gandhi said about their commitment for development of minorities and women in the country. With an aim to bring them in the mainstream of the socio-economic structure, she said that UPA government has created a separate ministry.
Recommendations of the Sachar Committee are being implemented fast and the central government is developing those districts where minorities have a sizeable presence, Congress president said, adding that the government is also providing scholarships to the students of minority communities under Maulana Azad Foundation.”
Speaking on the UPA government’s initiatives for women empowerment, she said, “Earlier women used to get 33% reservation in Panchayats, but now we have ensured that they get 50% reservation.”
Talking about farmers and the agricultural sector, she said, “Congress Party has special concern for our farmers and we feel, if our farmers are not happy, our society is not going to be prosperous. Keeping this in view, the UPA government waived the loan of farmers benefiting millions of our hard working farmers. Besides, we also raised the Minimum Support Price (MSP) of sugarcane and other crops and this was never been done before.”
As you all know well that it is no longer a secret as far as the differences between the Congress and the BJP are concerned, she said. “We are a party which believe in work and work for all. We are seriously committed for development of one and all.”
But, you may recall that what other parties did for you when they were in power and how they behaved with you, she asserted. “In the regime of other parties in the state, there was anarchy everywhere. Farmers and common people were in distress,” she said before concluding her speech with an appeal to vote for Congress in the state Assembly polls on Tuesday and thus, to strengthen the government of common people.
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