Amendment of Foreigners Act to help genuine citizens: Sonia

Nagaon, Apr 6 (UNI) Congress President Sonia Gandhi today emphasised that her party was committed to working for the protection of minorities and favoured amendments to the Foreigners Act to ensure that no genuine citizen of Asom was harassed.

Addressing an election rally here, Ms Gandhi said the Congress would ensure that no genuine citizen of the state was harassed in the guise of detecting foreigners.

''After the IM(DT) Act was scrapped by the Supreme Court last year, we suggested amendments to the Foreigners Act to ensure that no genuine citizen was harassed,'' she said.

''The Congress alone could ensure the uplift of the minorities and the underprivileged. The party believes in the idealogy of working for the underprivileged. Our ideology does not change with time and atmosphere.'' The UPA chairperson called on the people of the state to vote for the party and give it an opportunity to carry forward the developmental works it had started in the last five years.

''I am here to ask for your support to help the Congress build Asom's future,'' she said.

She charged the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) with failing the state on all counts. ''When the AGP was in power here, they managed to get only got half of what the Congress got for Asom in terms of central assistance.'' The AGP had also failed to implement the Assam Accord, she added.

Ms Gandhi said the party would work for the all-round development of Asom.

Asom Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, Meghalaya Chief Minister D D Lapang and Congress leader Sachin Pilot were also present at the rally.

The Congress President is scheduled to address two more rallies at Mangaldoi and Dhubri later in the day during her day-long visit to the state.

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