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Sonia slams Opposition for obstructing Food Security Bill

Last Updated 20 June 2013, 20:43 IST

Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Thursday slammed opposition parties for adopting obstructionist tactics in scuttling the passage  of the Food Security Bill, accusing them of creating instability in the country to grab power.

Without naming any party she said: “I would like to remind you that some political parties are conspiring to create instability in the country. These parties have no concern for the progress of the country and the poor....but are only interested in power at any cost.
There is a need to be vigilant against such forces.” She was addressing a rally in Suratgarh while laying the foundation stone for two  super critical 660 MW power project.

“The (UPA) wants that no one in the country go hungry. For that we conceived the food security bill but our rivals put up hurdles. Had the opposition allowed the passage of the bill in Parliament, we would have passed the Food Security Act long ago,” she said. “It is a tragedy  that the Opposition non co-operation has harmed the interest of the poor at large the most. It is now become their habit to oppose everything that Congress do.”

She alleged that the opposition is conspiring to create instability and anarchy. Instability decelerates progress and aggravates the woes of the poor.

“Despite the odds, we all want to move on the path of progress with great enthusiasm and vigour and we will give a befitting reply to these forces which create hurdles in progress and development of the nation,” she said in her 10-minute address.

The Congress is committed to the welfare of the poor, weaker sections, women and farmers. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is working in this direction. And has taken many historic decisions.

Sonia lauded the Ashok Gehlot government’s success in many areas, including power generation which went up to 12000 MW. She said the UPA government has always given top priority to energy and thousands of crores was being spent on every five year plan.
“There will be no dearth of funds in (energy) sector. Our first aim is that there should be uninterrupted power supply to every house, and the participation of private sector will be encouraged to take power connection to far-flung areas of the country,” she said.

The priority of all Congress-ruled states, including Rajasthan, is power sector.
To provide cheaper power to BPL families in urban areas, the Rajasthan government has announced distribution of one CFL bulb to every BPL family and will spend Rs 1 crore on the project, she said.

Now power will be taken to places where the population is less than 100 families.
Earlier, speaking on the occasion, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot assured the state is striving to be no 1 in power generation.

He said wind and solar energy in Jaisalmer district will also boost the state’s economy and growth. The Congress President also laid the foundation stone for a drinking water project at Jayal town in Nagaur  on her day-long visit to Rajasthan.

AICC General Secretary C P Joshi, PCC president Chandrabhan, local MP Bharatram Meghwal and other leaders were present on the occasion.

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(Published 20 June 2013, 20:43 IST)

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