Mangalore, October 18: Sending out a strong message to the regional Congress leaders, Sonia Gandhi, President, All India Congress Committee (AICC) said that party leaders must “completely sink their differences” and work collectively in order to ensure that the party regains its lost glory in the region.
Addressing the gathering at the Congress Workers' Convention organized by theKarnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) at Nehru Maidan in Mangalore on Thursday, Ms. Gandhi said that it is the ordinary worker and the party that suffers because of differences in party leaders. “The voice of the party worker must be heard. The worker must not be made to suffer because of differences in senior leaders. Overcome your personal ambitions and work collectively. That is the only way to get back to power. Whenever we have been united, we have swept the polls”, Ms.Gandhi said.
Pointing out that people of this region (coastal districts) had come in support of Indira Gandhi in her tough times, Ms. Gandhi said that the people are now fed up of BJP rule. “There is a new sense of hope in the party organization and tremendous response from the people. They are ready for a change. People are fed up of the BJP which has only made empty promises and was responsible for widespread corruption and failure of administration here. It is the responsibility of the Congress workers to reach out to the people who are angry with the BJP. How effectively you reach out to people and convince them of the need for change will determine the party's fortunes in the region”, she said.
Ms. Gandhi said that she is aware of the problems being faced by arecanut growers of the coastal district and other problems of the state such as problems of sericulture farmers and drought hit areas in the state. The central government has already sanctioned Rs.700 crores to address the drought problem and assured that she will suggest to the government to provide further aid to the state. The AICC chief slammed the BJP ruled state government for complaining that centre does not provide enough money to Karnataka. “In the last five years we have given Rs. 80,000 crores for Karnataka whereas the NDA in its 5 year tenure gave Rs.40,000 for your state”, she said.
'Diesel price hike was inevitable'
Ms. Gandhi said on the occasion that it was inevitable for the UPA government to increase the prices of diesel and cooking gas. “There is crisis in the global economy which is effecting us too. Our export rate has fallen. We face difficult and painful choices. We do not have control of international oil prices and hence we have been compelled to increase the prices of diesel and cooking gas. But we continue to subsidize kerosene. But why hasn't the Karnataka government increased the limit of cylinders in your state while other Congress ruled state governments have done it? Why hasn't your state government reduced VAT tax on diesel? What are you doing to lessen the hardships of the people?”, Ms. Gandhi questioned.
Ms. Gandhi also said that the BJP which attacking the UPA government for introducing FDI policy, is displaying double standards as the NDA government also wanted to introduce the same policy. “They attack us just for the sake of attacking. We want our farmers to get better prices and the FDI will ensure direct link between the farmers and the market besides providing lower purchasing rate for the consumers. It will improve infrastructure and create jobs too”, she said.
Claiming that no other party has taken initiatives to tackle corruption menace, Ms. Gandhi said that it was the UPA government which introduced Right to Information (RTI) through which all the scams are being unearthed. “We wanted to pass the Lokpal Bill but it was the BJP which stopped it from being passed in the Rajya Sabha”, she said, while stating that the BJP is not talking about corruption in states like Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand and Chattisgarh.
Praising Mangalore in general and Karnataka in particular, Ms. Gandhi said that the regions “symbolize the wonderful diversity of India” and pressed for the elimination of communal forces. “We must defeat the communal forces. The BJP has sowed seeds of religious prejudice and is destroying the secular fabric in Karnataka. We must fight communalism, regardless of where it originates from," she said.
Siddharamaiah, Leader of Opposition, Karnataka Legistlative Assembly, in his address said that BJP has 'saffronised' the coastal districts of Udupi and Dakshina Kannada. The Homestay attack, rave party in Malpe, church attacks in the region and everyday atrocities on people of minorities and other communities are examples of BJP's communal face, he said, while adding that organisations like the Bajrang Dal have taken law into their hands. The BJP government is the 'most corrupt' government the state has ever seen where its ministers including the chief minister had to be put behind bars, he said. Ms. Siddharamaiah said that injustice has been done to Karnataka in the Kaveri issue and sought her intervention besides bringing to her notice that 143 taluks in the state are still hit by drought.
Dr. G Parameshwar, President, KPCC, also sought Ms. Gandhi's intervention in various problems being faced by the people of the state including the problem of arecanut growers.
Ms. Gandhi administered oath to a contingent of Seva Dal activists on the occasion. World and national records holder Suresh Nayak, a mentally challenged person from Puttur, was also given the opportunity to greet Ms. Gandhi.
Union Ministers M Veerappa Moily, Mallikarjun Kharge and KH Muniyappa, MPs Oscar Fernandes, and Jayaprakash Hegde, Former Chief Minister Dharam Singh, Madhusoodan Mistry, AICC general secretary in charge of Karnataka, B Ramanath Rai, President, DK Congress, MLAs UT Khader and Abhayachandra Jain, RV Deshpande, Former KPCC President, and many other Congress leaders were present.
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