GUNTUR, February 2: The focus was on welfare, both local and national in flavour. That was Sonia Gandhi on Monday in Andhra Pradesh. She assured farmers that if her party was voted to power at the Centre it would provide uninterrupted electricity, quality seeds, irrigation and remunerative price to agricultural products.Addressing a mammoth gathering at the Brahmananda Reddy Stadium here, Sonia Gandhi, amidst clapping and whistling, announced the Congress agenda for the uplift of the farming community in the country. She made a special reference to the problems of chili, cotton and tobacco ryots in AP. The state has recently witnessed spate of suicides by the farmers hit by low yeild and high cost of farming coupled with moneylenders menace.She also unveiled a set of unique welfare programmes involving the youth being employed for a year to promote literacy, family welfare, social reforms and awareness of legal rights and said the party if voted to power would implement it besides an insurance schemefor the girl child to remove gender bias.In her 30-minute written speech in English, translated into Telugu by former minister K Rosaiah, the Congress campaigner dwelt upon various issues confronting the nation, from the communal threat posed by some parties to the unemployment problem and social inequality.The crowd, mostly rural mass, burst into thunderous applause and cheers when Sonia Gandhi referred to the problems of farmers. Her assurance to provide one-third reservation to women in all legislative bodies also drew tremendous response.Sonia greeted the people in Telugu. She was accompanied by her son, Rahul. They were received on the dais with cheers. Young Rahul stole the show whenever he stood on the dais and waved his hands. A large number of women turned out at the public meeting in anticipation of the visit of Priyanka Gandhi.The crowd was so eager to have a glimpse of Sonia and Rahul that it pushed forward jumping off the barricades into the VIP enclosure. When the policemenprotecting the enclosure made a mild lathicharge to stop the surging crowds, the Congress leaders on the dais urged the police to restrain themselves.Emboldened, the people occupied the VIP and the Press enclosures making it difficult for the scribes and the VIPs present.Sonia, incidentally, did not refer to either the ruling TDP or the BJP by name. She also did not made a mention of the Babri Masjid or the Golden Temple issue or the Jain Commission. She cautioned people against communal forces hell bent on dividing the nation into different religions and breaking the age-old Indian tradition of tolerance and respect towards other religions.
