Tags:
Journalism of Courage
Admitting that corruption has afflicted governance,Sonia Gandhi on Monday said that only the Congress has made attempts to tackle it head on by implementing the Right to Information law.
Addressing a public rally here ahead of the November 4 Assembly polls,the Congress president said: Corruption is a cancer that has spread in our entire system…The BJP is screaming about corruption,but who brought the Right to Information Act? Who took stern action against the corrupt? Its the Congress that brought in the Lokpal Bill in the Lok Sabha and got it passed. But the BJP did not let the Bill be passed in the Rajya Sabha.
She added: The reality is that BJP leaders are involved in corruption. Who is running education business in the state? Why dont schools in Himachal have adequate number of teachers? Why dont hospitals have adequate number of doctors? Its all because of the BJP leadership,which has been unable to spend the money that the Centre sent them for development of the state.
Senior Congress leaders,including former chief minister Virbhadra Singh,also addressed the rally.
Speaking on price rise,Sonia defended the UPA governments measures. We realise that people have to go through tough times because of price rise. But it is a global scenario and we cannot escape it. We are importing about 80 per cent oil which is further leading to price rise…At such a tough time,isnt it the responsibility of the state government to pitch in? While the Congress-ruled states have decided to give three additional subsidised LPG cylinders,why couldnt the BJP do the same in Himachal?
Regarding FDI,she said,We have decided to bring in FDI which will benefit farmers. They will get good price for their produce. The consumers will get commodities at lesser prices. And it is the prerogative of the state governments to implement FDI or not. Whenever we take steps for development,the BJP objects to it. The BJP is not against corruption,it is against the Congress.
The BJPs time is over. People of Himachal have made up their mind to throw them out. In the last four years,the BJP has done nothing for the people of Himachal. Be it roads,law and order,health,education everything has deteriorated. Vote for the Congress and take your state on the path of development, Virbhadra appealed while addressing the gathering.
