People welfare top of Cong agenda: Sonia

Sirsa, Feb 26: Congress President Sonia Gandhi today asked party workers to rededicate themselves for the welfare of the people of the country and prove it to be a "party for the people".

Addressing a mammoth rally at the sprawling police lines ground here a few days ahead of the Bhupender Singh Hooda Government's second anniversary on March 4, Ms Gandhi said Congress' opponents would always criticise the Congress Governments and the party but they should go ahead with the people's welfare schemes. "You need not to bother about any criticism by Congress Opponents and devote your energies in effectively and honestly implementing welfare schemes for the people of the state," she advised.

Ms Gandhi, however, emphasised that welfare schemes wouldbe successful only if their implementation was properly monitored from time to time.

"Let this Navyug Rally begin a new era for the state and the country in real terms," she said, assuring the Haryana Government that it would get full cooperation from the Centre in implementing such schemes.

Taking a dig at former Om Prakash Chautala Government, she said only criminals were ruling the roost in the state,as a result, people were very scared of making investments in the state.

Besides industrialists who had their industries there had started fleeing the state.

"But now that rule of terror is over." The people of the state rightly dislodged the ''criminal'' INLD government and brought back Congress. I compliment Chief Minister Hooda for bringing back the state on the developmental track and investments in the state had also started coming in a big way in the past two years, '' Ms Gandhi said at the rally venue, near the sprawling bungalows of the Chautala family.

The Congress President made special reference to the welfare of women, children, farmers and backward classes saying that unless their interests were protected the country could not make progress.

"I am happy that the Haryana Government is taking care of their interest and has implemented several schemes for their welfare." Without making any reference to the recent spate of farmer suicides in many parts of the country, Ms Gandhi said the UPA Government and Congress governments in other states were committed to protecting the interest of kisans. Describing Haryana as a "state of farmers", she said "Kisano par kisi bhi tarhen ki aanch nahin ane denge," (Their interest will be fully protected). She, however, did not elaborate on the issue.

Similarly for women and girls, the Congress government had already implemented several schemes for their development and Ms Gandhi made a specific reference to the "Ladli Scheme" for girl child and the establishment of a Women University, the first in North India, in Haryana as laudable. "I am happy that the government is fulfilling its all electoral promises to the satisfaction of the common man," she said.

The Congress President's speech, however, had no mention of the spiralling price rise hitting the common man. She, however, expressed her grief and sorrow over the death of several people in the Samjauta Express blasts, near Panipat. "Such incidents need to be condemned strongly," she added.

UNI