Food security bill to be brought soon: Sonia Gandhi

Addressing a Congress workers' 'Sadbhavna Rally' at Sewagram in Wardha district, about 85 km from here, Gandhi pointed out that the government has already legislated the Right to Education to ensure education for all children,  and the food security bill will be the next major public welfare policy measure of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government.

She also promised to address the issue of farmers in Vidarbha, the state's eastern region that has seen thousands of farmer suicides in the past few years.

Earlier, Gandhi felicitated thousands of Congress activists who marched from various villages in the state to Sewagram in a march called ‘Gram to Sewagram,’ and converged at the historic Sewagram Ashram.

“I congratulate (you) for this achievement. With the presence of such people in this country, nobody can stop us from becoming the world’s strongest power,” the Congress president said, urging people to follow Mahatma Gandhi’s ideals of peace, non-violence and universal brotherhood to achieve progress.

She warned people against forces that sought to divide the country on grounds of caste and religion and urged Congressmen to be prepared to fight them.

At the beginning of her brief address, Gandhi apologised for reaching the venue nearly four hours behind schedule on account of some technical reasons.

Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Ashok Chavan said that despite speculation in some quarters, Sonia Gandhi said that she would attend the rally.

His comments came in the backdrop of an alleged ‘money-for-rally’ controversy that erupted Thursday with a taped conversation indicating that money was collected from Congress ministers to cover the rally’s expenses.

Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee president Manikrao Thakre, Mumbai Congress chief Kripa Shankar Singh, Union Minister for Heavy Industries Vilasrao Deshmukh and other prominent personalities were present on the occasion.