Sonia Gandhi stresses on pragmatic approach to boost investment to tackle unemployment

Congress President Sonia Gandhi while delivering her opening address at Congress’ chintan shivir at Jaipur said that “inroads have been made into  Congress traditional support bases” and reminded Congressmen of the need to gear up for political challenges in states where they have been out of power for long. Sonia Gandhi also stressed on a “pragmatic” approach to encouraging investment for fueling economic growth and fueling employment.

Sonia Gandhi stated that UPA’s “impressive economic growth” had helped in reducing poverty. Stressing on the need for inclusive growth the Congress president urged for better implementation of poverty alleviation programmer.

 The Congress party will be deliberating on the issues – political, socio- economic, organizational and foreign policy challenges - flagged off by the Congress President Sonia Gandhi.

About foreign policy Sonia  Gandhi made it clear that “our dialogue with (our  neighbours) must be based on accepted principles of civilized behavior.”  “Performance not patronage must be the ladder to advancement in the party,” stressed the Congress President.

With the party in poll mode, on the brink of a slew of elections in as many as ten states this year itself, Sonia Gandhi repeatedly spoke of the organizational challenges confronting the party and the need to function as a “disciplined and united team.”

Rahul Gandhi's first interaction with media after taking over as Congress Vice President

Newly appointed Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi had a brief interaction with the media persons when he visited AICC office for the first time after taking over the new assignment. "Congress is the big instrument that can bring in changes. Congress party is a big instrument that brings in more youngsters. And it is the big and strong instrument than can transform the country" said Rahul Gandhi.

Rahul Gandhi visits AICC office for the first time after taking over as Congress Vice President

Congress leaders greeted newly appointed Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi on his first visit to AICC office after taking over as the new assignment in the party. The leaders greeted the young leader with followers and by shaking hands. Rahul Gandhi was appointed as Congress Vice President in the recently held Congress' Chintan Shivir at Jaipur.

Sonia Gandhi: Mothers should teach their boys how to respect women in their family and in the neighbourhood

Expressing her pain and anguish over the brutal gangrape incident in Delhi, Congress president Sonia Gandhi made a strong pitch for starting women empowerment from home at Congress’ Chintan Shivir at Jaipur. "Mothers should teach their boys how to respect women in their family and in the neighbourhood. Women empowerment should start from home," she was quoted as having said.

She spent 30 minutes in the meeting of Congress group on women empowerment headed by MP Girija Vyas.

Earlier, in her opening remarks, Sonia Gandhi asked Congress workers to bring gender issues to "the heart of our political activity" saying the "very disturbing trends" against women and children should wake the party. In her speech, she described atrocities on women as a blot on conscience and a matter of shame, and stressed that gender issues should not just confined to Mahila Congress or women organisations only. "I must say with the greatest anguish and pain that discrimination against the girl child continues. Atrocities on women, both in urban and rural India, are a blot on our collective conscience and a matter of great shame," said Sonia Gandhi.

"The way we still treat widows, the prevalence of female foeticide even in economically prosperous regions, the trafficking of children and women, brazen sexual harassment - these are all very disturbing trends that should shake and awaken us," said the Congress President. "The entire party must understand them, and bring them to the heart of our political activity and change mindset," she added.

Sonia Gandhi concerned over the unemployment among the youth

Development means overall welfare of the people; that is the belief of Sonia Gandhi, the Congress President and UPA Chairperson. She wants employment for the youth, satisfactory living conditions for the farmers, welfare of the workers, benefits for the tribals and empowerment of the women.

Sonia Gandhi was very much concerned over the unemployment among the youth. NREGA was a step to address this issue. She also raised this issue in Gujarat during her campaign and questioned state government’s development claims.  Sonia Gandhi had asked, “Lots of youth are jobless in the state. The health and education facilities are insufficient here.  My sisters in this state have been facing atrocities because of the worsening law and order situation in the state. Why all these happening here? If the government had given attention to your problems, you would not have faced so many problems”.  She said so because she knew that if a government is serious towards the issues of the people, it can definitely frame policies to tackle those.

“Farmers have committed suicide. There is no water or electricity available,” she added. The Saurashtra region, which has 52 Assembly seats, saw a spate of suicides by farmers following poor monsoon this year. The Congress had announced Rs 1 lakh compensation to kin of each of the deceased farmers.

Sonia Gandhi :We as the Congress Party must work united, to come up to the people’s expectations

  “The time has come to work together, as the people of our country have great expectations from our Congress party. And, only by fulfilling the aspirations of  people, we will definitely get the mandate again in the coming Lok Sabha  elections, just a little more than a year away from now,” declared Congress President Sonia Gandhi.

She in her concluding address on the concluding day of on-going Chintan Shivir  (brainstorming session) here on Sunday, urged the party workers to gear-up for effective organizational thrusts at all levels, in a meaningful manner.

“ Its time to look within, as the party. What makes us different and unique compared to other political out-fits in the country, must be outlined very clearly. We must answer effectively to questions as why people should vote for the Congress,” categorically stated Congress President Sonia Gandhi.

Congress-led UPA has completed eight and half years at the Centre. It has been a long journey. “We have come up a long way and we must apprise the people with our achievements. Be it about projects under UPA flagship or about various legislations like Right to Information Act ( RTI) and many others, we must project these to the people in general. We have to tell that we as a party have been deeply concerned for the social justice and economic parity among all sections of the society,” she stressed.

Notably, at the very outset of her address at about 10.30 am on Sunday here, Congress President Sonia Gandhi deliberated upon about the unfortunate incident of Delhi gang-rape on December 16 last year. She strongly forwarded that death of  the gang-rape victim in the nation’s capital would not go in vain.

“She ( gang rape victim) was brave and she symbolized the spirit of new India. I will personally see that every single woman and single girl in the country are safe and secure,”  strongly advocated Congress President Sonia Gandhi.

She also talked about reservation for women in the Parliament and she said that it was the vision of late Rajiv Gandhi who forwarded for women’s reservation in the Panchayati Raj system.

Talking about the issue of development as being a poll plank by many political parties, she said that as a party, the Congress is committed for overall development with social justice and economic parity for all.

She urged the party workers to expose all those (other political parties) which claim the UPA flagship projects as their own. Congress President Sonia Gandhi said, “We have not discriminated against any state and have given financial assistance, as required. But, many states claim the Central projects as their own, which we must expose.”

“Congress-led UPA at the Centre is doing all it can, for the overall development of the nation. We as the party must also get into effective mechanism to let people know what all we have done so far and what all we are doing for the country,” she said.

Talking about global economic slowdown and its effect on the Indian economy, Congress President said that some hard decisions have been taken to keep away the likely damages on our economy. “We as the Congress Party must make people aware about these facts and the necessity of the decisions, taken in the interest of the nation,” she focused. She also talked about international relations and said that on accepted civilised structures, the country would go for it with any other country. 

  

In a statement declared from the dais of the Chintan Shivir, Congress President Sonia Gandhi said that the Congress party has been led by great people like Mahatma Gandhi, Lal Bahadur Shashtri, Indira Gandhi., Maulana Azad, Dr B R Ambedkar, Rajiv Gandhi  and many others, to make India a modern country as it is today.

“We as the Congress Party have been fortunate to have been led by great visionaries and now, with their ideals, we must surge ahead to come up to the expectations of the people of this country,” announced Congress President Sonia Gandhi.

Sonia Gandhi at AICC session: Tackling corruption, safety of women should be the priorities

“I will continue to press for women reservation Bill; Delhi Gang-rape victim’s death will not go in vain”

Congress President Sonia Gandhi today addressed a meeting of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) in Jaipur on the last day of the Chintan Shivir that began on Friday. “I am delighted by the active participation of our young leaders at the Shivir. The Chintan Shivir allowed us to introspect on key national and international issues” said the Congress President.

Referring her concern over corruption which according to her is deep rooted in the entire system, Sonia Gandhi said “Let me reiterate corruption at all levels is a deep rooted malice and all sections of society are affected by it. As a party we must lead struggle to combat its effect. At the last AICC session, corruption was major issue. I laid out a five-point action plan then and the government has worked on it.”  “We have introduced the Lokpal bill in Parliament. We have introduced new path-breaking legislation for addressing public grievances and to protect whistleblowers” added the Congress President.

Touching upon the game changing policy of Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) Sonia Gandhi said “We also launched the historic 'Aap Ka Paisa Aap Ke Haath' scheme, which will stop corruption by middlemen”.

Sonia Gandhi also talked about the recent gang rape incident in Delhi that invited wide protests across the country. “The barbaric gang-rape of a young woman in Delhi has shaken the country. She embodied the spirit of an aspirational India. We will ensure her death will not go in vain” said the Congress President.

“Gender issues were discussed at the Chintan Shivir. The Congress has been at the forefront in the struggle to empower women, and it will continue to do so. Every woman has the fundamental right to feel safe and secure. Public figures made unacceptable remarks against women. We cannot tolerate mindsets that lead to crimes against women and children” she underlined.

Sonia Gandhi then declared “I assure you I will continue to press for a law for 30 per cent reservation for women in Parliament and assemblies”.

Exhorting the leaders to go to the people and explain the Congress’s achievements, the party leader continued “Today is also the time for the party to introspect and see how we are better than our opponents. We need to clearly explain to the people why we are a better political choice. We have the support of all sections of the society. The Congress is especially concerned about the welfare of the backward sections, women and farmers”.

She also sent out a warning; “We will fight forces that threaten the unity and integrity of the country”.

Listing out UCongress-led UPA Govt’s achievements, the chairperson of the claition said “Congress has worked to free the country from poverty. Our UPA government has worked very effectively under the leadership of Manmohan Singh”.

While defending the Centre’s economic reform measures, she added “Global recession is having an effect on India and has forced the government to take some hard decisions, which have hit the people” and told the Congress leaders, “We should explain to the people the reasons for these hard economic decisions”.

Admitting that the people have losing faith in politicians, Sonia Gandhi reminded “People are losing faith in politicians. We have to understand why this is happening”.

The Congress president also spoke about the need for electoral reforms and said that the Election Commission (EC) must introduce the necessary changes. Sonia Gandhi also asked the party members to work with unity and discipline saying that their victory was in the victory of the party.

“There are only 15 months left to the Lok Sabha elections. If we work well, there is no doubt we will be re-elected again. This is the time to work hard. As the country's main political party, the people's expectations from us is higher. We cannot let down the people who have put their faith in us” she said while concluding her address.