Asom heart and soul of UPA economic initiatives: Congress

Guwahati, June 19 (UNI) The Congress today reiterated that Asom had been the focus of much development under the present Congress-led UPA government at the Centre.

Talking to reporters here, party national spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said the state had benefited immensely under the UPA government.

He said, ''Asom has been the heart and soul of all economic initiatives of the UPA government.'' He said the state had been included in all the developmental schemes implemented by the Central government.

To a poser, he said the UPA government had taken significant measures to control floods in the state and many more long-term measures were being initiated.

Pointing out that the party came back to power in the state becoming the only incumbent to retain power in three decades in Asom, Mr Singhvi said political parties formed on religious lines did not bother the Congress. He said the Congress believed in secularism.

On being asked the party's stand on the release of five ULFA leaders as demanded by the outfit, he chose to point out that the UPA government had initiated peace parleys with the outfit.

The national spokesperson maintained that the hike in fuel prices would have no impact on the stability on the Central government, though Left coalition partners had protested the rise.

He also lambasted the non-Congress governments in other states for shedding 'crocodile tears' on the fuel price hike, pointing that the Congress governments have already relaxed sales tax to benefit the common man.

''It is an issue which would need uniform legislation and will have to be addressed at the national level, he said regarding, special provision for increasing the ministry size in some Northe Eastern states'' UNI SG TJP PA RK1935