Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Monday said that state governments were equally responsible for price rise and unless “they did their own part” inflation can’t be checked. She said this while addressing a rally at Hatimara ground in Malda. “It’s very easy to put the Centre in the dock for price rise. Prices of rice, wheat, pulses and petroleum have increased manifold in the international market. The Centre is doing its best to check price hike. But the state governments can’t absolve themselves of their responsibility in this regard. They must take action against hoarders. They should keep the public distribution system alive by sending their own share of food grains to the Central pool,” she said. Union Minister for External Affairs Pranab Mukherjee, Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Priya Ranjan Dasmunshi and AICC general secretary Mohsina Kidwai accompanied the Congress president.Earlier addressing a rally at Baharampur in Murshidabad district, she criticised the West Bengal Government for its role in Nandigram. “At Nandigram, the state Government tortured people, including women and children. I must remind the people of Nandigram that Congress would always be with them,” she said.Malda being dominated by Muslims, Sonia did not miss the opportunity of criticising the West Bengal Government for its poor minority report card, revealed in the Sachar Committee report. “It’s unfortunate that the condition of the minorities has not improved even though the CPI(M) been in power for the past 30 years,” Sonia said.The town is home of late Congress leader A B A Ghani Khan Choudhury, who died in 2006. Sonia paid rich tributes to him for his contribution to the development of the state. “The absence of Ghani Khan Choudhury is always felt by the party. All through his life, he worked for the welfare of people,” she said. The Congress president later went to Choudhury's house at Kotwali, and after praying at his tomb, planted the sapling of particular specie of mango called Lakshmonbhog — a specie that was a favourite of the late leader. She also exhorted Congressmen to be vigilant on Central projects such as National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. “You should keep a watch on how these schemes are being implemented and if you see any irregularity you must fight against it,” she said.Sonia flew back to Delhi en route Purnea in Bihar.
