BJP’s policies ruining the poor — Sonia

"The prices are touching the sky, cost of wheat and rice had almost doubled and the poor were being crushed under a heavy burden," Sonia said.

Although the farmers were the basis of economic reforms, everything was being done against them although, after labourers, they were the biggest section of society, she said.

The Congress president alleged that the BJP-led Government at the Centre appeared to be interested in only ensuring its "continued survival" and seemed to have forgotten the promises it had made to the people before the last Lok Sabha elections.

"The Government appeared to be creating social difference and had made the minorities and the constitution its target," Sonia said.

She said the Congress had served the people with total zeal while the BJP was only paying lip service to the task of doing something for the welfare of the poor.

Sonia said it was not necessary for a political party to make tall claims but let its work speak for itself. The function marked the beginning of the fortnight-long distribution of incentive bonus to pluckers of tendu leaves in Madhya Pradesh, most of whom are tribals.

A sum of around Rs 57 crore is to be given in this period to around 24 lakh families in the State for the 1998 collection season.

On the occasion, the Congress president distributed incentive bonus to tendu leaf pluckers from various places including Jabalpur, Umaria, Seoni and Katni.

The Forest Minister, Harvansh Singh, announced that from next year onwards, the Rajiv Gandhi Forest Produce Awards would be given and under it the cooperative society which makes the maximum collection would get Rs 3 lakh.

The society which comes second in collection would receive Rs 2 lakh and the one which is placed third would be given Rs 1 lakh.

Sonia also released a booklet on the role of cooperatives in the tendu leaf trade.

Others who spoke on the occasion included Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijay Singh and former Union ministers Arjun Singh and Kamalnath.

Earlier Sonia, accompanied by AICC general secretary and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Motilal Vora reached Dumna airfield at 11.25 am. She was received by Chief Minister Digvijay Singh, state Congress president, Radha Kishen Malviya, Arjun Singh and Kamalnath.