A Nation of Losers

This is the ninth trust vote that the Union government is facing since 1979. Prior to that, there was no need for any trial of strength in the Lok Sabha to determine whether a government has the right to continue because till then the Congress had always had a steam-roller majority in Parliament. In fact, the need first arose when Charan Singh was Prime Minister after an earlier split in the Janata Party. But Charan Singh who knew he was going to lose, did not come to Parliament on the day of the voting. This was the first of the two occasions when the Prime Minister had to resign before facing the vote of confidence. The other occasion arose in 1996 when Atal Bihari Vajpayee resigned on the floor of the House before the voting took place. We have nothing against votes of confidence. On the contrary, we realize that they are inevitable at times in a healthy democracy, especially when a country has to make do with a coalition government comprising disparate elements. We have nothing against close finishes either, though a razor-thin majority can make governance extremely difficult. But whatever the kind of crisis and whatever the provocation, no democracy worth its name should be subjected to the kind of unethical political games that are being played in New Delhi now — all in the name of saving the Congress-led UPA government.By the standards of the Indian polity, nothing may seem to be wrong with all this. After all, the list of criminals who are in Parliament as lawmakers is growing longer with each parliamentary election. They have successfully subverted all democratic ideals to make the wrong seem right and the unethical to seem normal. But going by the standards of a civilized democracy, there is nothing at all to be happy about. The most noteworthy sin is that a political party and the coalition it leads are taking precedence over the country and its people. It is as though the Congress and the UPA have to be saved no matter what happens to India. The second sin is perpetuating the rationalization that in politics the means do not matter at all. Look where this has taken us! The equation between the UPA (minus the Left parties and the Bahujan Samaj Party plus the Samajwadi Party) and the rest (primarily the Left parties and the BJP) is so evenly balanced that it is the tiny political parties with three, two or even one Lok Sabha MP that are going to make the ultimate difference to the equation. So the cost of ‘winning’ over even the sleepiest and most worthless MP has reportedly gone up to Rs 100 crore from the figure of Rs 25 crore that was the upper limit just two days ago. It would hardly be surprising if the price went up to Rs 200 crore for the last few MPs by today morning. And where has all this money for horse-trading come from? Not from the personal coffers of the chairpersons of coalitions or party presidents forming new alliances. Not even from the funds of our political parties. The money is most likely to have been siphoned off from one or more of the several schemes for guaranteeing rural employment for which huge sums are allotted in the budget by pious governments year after year. Such a scenario would mean that the government of the day has legitimized the misuse of funds meant for the poorest of the poor to buy MPs in order to stay in power! This is not only a total repudiation of the principle of the means being paramount, but a blatant misuse of power for staying in power.However, this is not all. What is in glaring evidence is the reliance of the Congress-led UPA government on the most untrustworthy political parties for survival. Take the case of Mayawati and the Bahujan Samaj Party. Mayawati is on record repeatedly asserting that it is not her business to form governments but rather to break them. She has demonstrated this twice at the Centre. She withdrew support from the NDA government just before a trial of strength and stage-managed its defeat at the very last minute. She had walked out of coalition governments in Uttar Pradesh three times, each time to the great benefit of her party, till she did not need any help from any quarter in the last Assembly election. Political parties that she had ditched in the past time and again should have learnt their lessons but did not. And what of the ‘untouchable’ Samajwadi Party? Can it be counted on to prop up its worst foe in Uttar Pradesh till next year?Finally, the Congress has had to make the most deplorable compromises with small political parties like the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM). For its five members to return to the UPA fold, the Congress has to make its chief Shibu Soren a cabinet minister and make room for another minister besides granting scheduled tribe status to a list of tribal groups submitted by Soren. We are all aware of the criminal charges that had led to Shibu Soren’s ouster from the cabinet. Now the Congress is sending out the clear message that even criminals can become ministers if they support the UPA. Who is the ultimate loser in all this? Why, the nation itself — the people of India. The heavens would not have fallen if the UPA government were to fall a few months ahead of its time. The Congress might be able to buy itself some time today. But how much, even if it survives the vote of confidence? Maybe a few months or maybe up to March next year if it is very lucky. Are a few more months in power a good enough reason to turn Parliament into an auction centre for legislators? If it loses, the Congress will probably make a few worse bedfellows next time to save the dynasty. But who will save the nation? source: sentinel assam

Satta rates: UPA win: 40p, defeat: Rs 2

18 Jul 2008, 0145 hrs IST, S Balakrishnan,TNN

MUMBAI: With the countdown to July 22 having begun, Mumbai and other cities are witnessing hectic betting activity. According to sources, the odds are 40 paise for the UPA managing to retain power. This means that for every wager of Re 1, the bettor will get Rs 1.40 if the government wins the trust vote. The odds on the government falling are Rs 2. With matka operators forced to down shutters and no worthwhile cricket matches to lay bets on, the political drama in New Delhi is generating tremendous betting activity. "The situation has become more interesting with corporate bigwigs entering the scene," a senior inspector of police said. Big-time bookies like Sunil Dubai, Sobhan Kalachowkie, Jayanti Malad, Subhash Indore, Laxmi Thana and DJ Andheri are busy accepting bets not only from within India, but also from West Asia and other regions. According to estimates, bets worth Rs 250 crore have already been placed.

Doesn't mind voting with BJP: CPM

Press Trust of India / New Delhi July 17, 2008, 14:27 IST
Facing criticism from its own ranks over its decision to vote against the UPA along with the BJP during the trial of strength in the Lok Sabha, the CPI(M) has said it cannot abandon its objective of preventing India from becoming a subordinate of the US just because the saffron party is opposed to the Government.

The party said the BJP is opposing the Government in the July 22 confidence vote for enforcing early elections which may give them electoral benefits, but it cannot be a reason for the Left to reconsider its stand.

"As a passenger in a train, one cannot determine or choose who the other co-passengers are. However, because of the co-passengers, one cannot abandon the objective of reaching one's destination.

"The Left is clear. It shall work to achieve its objective of upholding our national interests and preventing India from becoming a subordinate ally of US imperialism," the CPI(M) said in an editorial in the forthcoming issue of party mouthpiece 'People's Democracy'.

The editorial said the Left seeks to defeat the UPA in the trust vote for protecting the country from consequences of the nuclear deal that could affect the country's sovereignty, independent foreign policy and independence to tackle security concerns. Countering Congress' allegations that the Left parties were allowing the return of the communal forces, the party accused the ruling party of being primarily responsible for giving an opportunity to the NDA government to return to power. source: http://www.business-standard.com

NDA cannot form govt if UPA fails

HERALD
CORRESPONDENT NEW DELHI, JULY 17— Quite conscious that the Bharatiya Janata Party led National Democratic Alliance does not have the number and cannot secure the Left’s support to form the government if the United Progressive Alliance fails in the confidence vote on Tuesday, senior BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu stressed that his party would seek a fresh mandate through a mid-term polls.“I am saying it on record that the NDA will not try to form a government if UPA falls during the vote of confidence. We will go to the people and convince them about the failures of the UPA government and seek their mandate,” he said while talking to reporters at the BJP headquarters here.He boasted that the NDA may have the numbers to form the government but asserted that “election is the only solution” once the UPA government is defeated in the floor test in Lok Sabha.Already upbeat with victories in the Assembly elections in Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh and the latest in Karnataka, Naidu said the BJP has already got into the election mode for the new Lok Sabha and has even announced its first list of candidates.In reply to a question, he said talks were already on for enrolling more regional parties in the NDA. There may also be some post-poll alliances, he added.

More Muslim MPs against UPA

Rebel SP MP to vote against UPA, claims support of seven more
New Delhi, July 18 (PTI) Rebel Samajwadi Party MP Munnawar Hasan today announced that he would defy the party whip and vote against the UPA government on July 22."I will defy the party whip and vote against the UPA government on nuclear deal during the confidence vote on July 22. I have support of around seven party MPs. The deal is anti-Muslim and we are against it more so because it is being promoted by the US, which is an anti-Muslim country," Hasan told reporters here.The Muzaffarnagar MP, who has been offered a ticket for the next general election by the BSP, said that he has not formally joined Mayawati but would do so after July 22."Once me and my other fellow MPs defy the SP whip, then we will join BSP," Hasan said.He claimed that he was persistently being wooed by "various people" to vote in favour of the UPA government. "In fact on July 10, one Rupesh Kumar who identified himself as a chartered accountant of a company, offered me a bribe of Rs 25 crore to vote in favour of the government," the MP claimed.When asked as to why he did not register a complaint against the person or inform BSP supremo Mayawati about it, Munnawar said he found the media an appropriate outlet to disclose this information.Though he avoided uttering anything against SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, Munnawar said the SP's Muslim votebank had "slipped" and many of its MPs, who did not turn up for the Parliamentary Party meeting held earlier today, were against the deal."In fact some Congress MPs too are in touch with me while SP MPs like Raj Narayan Budholiya and Jai Prakash Rawat are already with us," he claimed. PTI

UPA govt will not win the trust vote: Nitish

Press Trust of India / Patna July 18, 2008, 16:06 IST
Even though the outcome of numbers game during the July 22 trust vote appears too close to predict, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today said the the UPA government's defeat in the floor test is imminent.

"The Manmohan Singh government's defeat in the trial of strength is imminent and the stony silence being maintained by usually-blustering union ministers from the state points in that direction," he said.

Kumar returned here after attending a meeting of NDA chief ministers in Delhi where they mulled over the strategy to pull down the UPA government.

"Now that it is clear that the government will not survive, the 'bayan bahadurs' (leaders thriving on statements) RJD ministers from Bihar have suddenly stopped making unsavoury remarks aginst me and my government."

He charged the UPA ministers, particularly those from RJD, with not cooperating with the state government in execution of several development schemes and said the NDA will make it an election issue.

"We will go the electorate with facts and figures and seek their support to bring the NDA to power at the Centre if they want their problems to be solved," he said.

Referring to the Indo-US nuclear deal, Kumar said the Centre should suspend and keep in abeyance all further action till it has proved its majority in the Lok Sabha. source: http://www.business-standard.com

'SP offered my MP Rs 15 cr to vote for UPA'

Krishnakumar P

July 18, 2008 18:54 IST
As the race to pouch Independents and single-member parties heats up ahead of the July 22 trust vote of the United Progressive Alliance government, Uttar Pradesh-based National Loktantrik Party on Friday alleged that a senior Samajwadi Party leader called his party MP and offered him Rs 15 crore to vote in favour of the government and threatened the party and the member with dire consequences if he does not do so.

"On July 16, we had a press conference to declare that our party MP Baleshwar Yadav will vote against the government. After the conference, at 10.30 pm, a man walked in to meet the MP and handed him a cell phone saying a senior Samajwadi MP wanted to speak to him. "SP leader Parsavnath Yadav, who was on the line, asked the MP to take Rs 15 crore and vote for the government," NLP President Arshad Khan claimed in New Delhi.

Khan said his party, which had been lending outside support to the United Progressive Alliance, had decided to vote against the government as it was opposed to the Indo-US nuclear deal.
"The government never bothered to reach out to smaller parties like us to clear our doubts. In such a scenario, we see the deal as one that will make India a subordinate ally of the United States. We can't allow India to be subservient to US and Israeli interests," Khan said.He said the UPA, instead of taking smaller parties like his into confidence, has turned the Samajwadi Party on to him.

"Either Sonia Gandhi or Prime Minister Manmohan Singh could have approached us to get our support. But they are not interested in that approach. They, instead think Mulayam Singh Yadav will do the trick for them and has turned him on us. That shows to what level the UPA can stoop," Khan said. Unbelievable as it may sound, after the SP submitted a fresh letter of support to President Pratibha Patil on July 9, Mulayam Singh Yadav had said that the NLP lawmaker will vote with the SP. "Baleshwar Yadav is basically of Samajwadi Party origin," Singh had said.

Baleshwar Yadav was with the SP before he switched to the NLP and won his seat from the Padrauna constituency.

Asked whether he had the confidence of his MP, Khan was evasive. "Last week, Baleshwar said he will vote against the government in a handwritten letter to me. The last I spoke to him on the phone, he maintained his stand. Why should I keep asking him constantly? I have issued a whip to vote against the government. He will face the consequences if he ignores the whip. And then we will go to the people with the facts of how the SP has played this game with us," Khan said.

Baleshwar Yadav, who is now is Lucknow, is incommunicado.
Khan, however, leaves scope for the UPA to right the perceived wrong. "If the UPA approaches us and satisfies our conditions, we will reconsider our decision," he said.

His conditions are:
Implementation of the Rangnath Mishra Commission that went into the status of minorities
Allocate 9 per cent of the 27 per cent OBC reservations to minorities
Provide reservation for Dalit converts.

Though he knows the UPA might not agree to these conditions and that he might well lose his MP to Mulayam's might, the July 22 controversy is just the latest episode in the running battle he has had with the SP.

His is a party launched 14 years ago and he has nurtured it in an environment where there is no Muslim political party to cater to Uttar Pradesh's large Muslim population. He has had to always fight the obstacles that the Congress, SP and the Bahujan Samaj Party have thrown in his way. "In these 14 years I have run this party, it has progressively grown. In recent years, we began having electoral success," he said. The party has so far seen 11 municipal chairmen, one legislator and one parliamentarian come through its ranks.

Observers say it is developing into a formidable power in UP where Muslims have so far been seen only as vote banks. They say this is the party that might politically empower them. Khan also claims Hindu-Muslim unity is a key ideology and points to his MP and MLA, both Hindus. "Mulayam, when he came to power in UP the last time, tried to break my party. He was unsuccessful but he succeeded in poaching my MLA," Khan said.

So, the SP move, which is a short-term attack as well as a roadblock in the run up to the next general election, has doubly angered Khan. Asked one last time how his MP would vote, he said: "An MP is like a child. His party is mother and the party president -- in this case me -- is his political father. I have told my child what he has to do. Let Mulayam take care of his children. Let him not mess with my children." source: http://www.rediff.com/news/2008/jul/18upavote10.htm

Can the AGP ever make up its mind?

Can the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) ever make up its mind? If this question is being asked today, it is because the flag-bearer of regionalism in Asom manages to give out the impression, again and again, that it is directionless. At a time when some euphoria or hope was generated among the regional forces or backers of regionalism in the State with the talk of unity of regional political parties, came news that the AGP was talking to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on the possibility of an alliance to face the Lok Sabha elections. Senior AGP leaders have commented saying there was no harm in talking to the BJP, or for that matter, other like-minded parties. Well, no one is contesting that!The sense that one gets after the AGP-BJP parleys is that Asom’s main opposition party, which is also the pioneer of regionalism in the State, may have concluded that unification among the two AGP factions (the other one being the AGP-Progressive of Prafulla Kumar Mahanta) may not take place after all. AGP leaders are saying the AGP(P) has placed certain ‘demands’, a claim denied by Mahanta and his group. For the consumption of the people and the media, Mahanta has been saying he was in favour of regional unity and that he is ready to be an ordinary party worker in a united AGP. But, Mahanta is certainly kidding. After all, the two-time chief minister and founder president of the AGP has not shed all his ambitions yet. And yes, AGP president Brindabon Goswami may not be ready so far, even for the sake of regional unity, to vacate his chair for Mahanta. Well, I cannot help asking at this point as to what may have happened to AGP’s bonhomie with the flamboyant Amar Singh? Yes, Amar Singh, the Samajwadi Party high-flier who was a key figure in the so-called regional alliance called the United National Progressive Alliance (UNPA)? The AGP aside, one of its old allies, the Telegu Desam, too, has been a part of the UNPA. Only the other day, Amar Singh was in Asom, lambasting the Congress, including Congress leaders from the State. Now, Amar Singh is the main points-man, cobbling up a deal between the Samajwadi Party and the Congress and come to the latter’s aid on the Nuke deal. So, Amar Singh and the UNPA must now be out of the AGP’s radar. The void has to be filled. So, it has to be the BJP. Who are we to talk about ideology? That can change with the times man!Now what? The AGP may go to the Lok Sabha polls with a tie-up with the BJP (some seat adjustments or things like that), and, if the regional unity does not take place by then, face some regional party candidates as their rivals, including those from the Congress. The end result in that scenario will be a split in the non-Congress votes, leading to Congress candidates sailing through. This is not some fantastic prediction that I have managed to make. This is a simple possibility. In case the AGP comes to have a tie-up with the BJP this time, as in the past (who bothers about the disastrous result of the earlier AGP-BJP alliance), the party’s slogan could well be this, ‘we are a regional party with a national outlook!’Regional unity, to my mind, is a distant dream in Asom. This is because of the ambitions nurtured by every regional party leader who wants to be king, or king-maker. The lack of a positive election agenda, lack of leadership, shift in ideologies, failure to forge tactical winning combinations, and, above all, failure of some key regional leaders to sacrifice their personal ambitions and goals are the key stumbling blocks to a possible unification of regional parties in the State. This is one of the reasons for the Congress’ dream run in Asom since 2001. Yes, there is no harm in believing that things may change. source sentinel assam

Seek confidence vote in Lok Sabha, Advani tells government

Seek confidence vote in Lok Sabha, Advani tells government

June 29, 2008 20:12 IST
Asking the United Progressive Alliance government to seek a confidence vote in the Lok Sabha if it wanted to go ahead with the Indo-US nuclear deal, Bharatiya Janata Party stalwart L K Advani on Sunday said the Centre should focus on burning issues and development instead of fighting with the Left over the proposed pact.

"We will ask the government to face a confidence vote in the Lok Sabha on the nuclear issue following the present political situation," Advani said while addressing a rally in Rourkela.
The UPA government, Advani said, was wasting time in fighting the Left parties on the nuclear deal instead of concentrating on development and solving burning problems.

"We cannot sacrifice our atomic energy and future tests in Pokhran by signing the agreement with the USA," Advani said pointing out that it was during BJP-led National Democratic Alliance rule that the second Pokhran test was conducted.

Advani lashed out at the UPA government for increasing Naxal activities in the country and said during the NDA regime insurgency was under control due to inter-state coordination meetings of naxal affected states which was abolished by the present government.

The BJP leader said the NDA government had given priority on national security and to control cross border terrorism which had been totally neglected now. Earlier, Advani addressing the concluding session of the two-day state executive body meeting of the BJP in Rourkela, asked the rank and cadre to be prepared for elections any time. source: http://www.rediff.com/news/2008/jun/29advani.htm

Mayawati withdraws support to UPA government

Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati has withdrawn her party's support to the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government at the Centre.

The BSP has 17 members in the Lok Sabha, which has an effective strength of 543. The UPA currently has the support of 220 members. The Left parties, which have 59 lawmakers as a block, extend outside support to the government.

Mayawati has accused the UPA of neglecting Uttar Pradesh and meting out step-motherly treatment to her party and the UP government.

The BSP supremo sent a letter, stating her withdrawal of support, to President Pratibha Patil and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi.

Mayawati added that she will not enter into any electoral alliance with either the Congress or the Bharatiya Janata Party.Mayawati displayed copies of the letter she had written to President Patil, Speaker Somnath Chatterjee and Vice President Mohammad Ansari and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi.She charged both Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress of misusing the Central Bureau of Investigation and attempting to implicate her in the Taj Corridor case. She accused the Congress of only making false promises. The Uttar Pradesh chief minister said Bundelkhand and Poorvanchal regions had witnessed unprecedented drought, but the Union government did not do anything besides making false promises. "I personally met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and asked him to give an economic package of Rs 88,000 crore and he promised to do something about it. Till date, nothing had been done," she said. PTI adds:

Similarly, she dismissed another question that whether she took this decision because of the reported warming up of ties between SP and Congress, she said both were down and out in Uttar Pradesh.

Mayawati said she had given an open warning to the UPA in January this year that BSP would withdraw support if the Congress-led coalition 'did not mend its ways' and change its step-motherly attitude towards the state government.

The chief minister said though she had expected that the Congress would stop attacking her and her party for its own political interest, there was no change in the party's attitude.

She said that when the Congress-led coalition replaced NDA, headed by BJP, at the Centre, she had expected that the government would ensure that she gets justice in the Taj Corridor and other related issues.

"But unfortunately Congress proved worse than BJP as instead of ensuring justice, Congress has kept the matter hanging during the last four years for its own political interest," she said.

Mayawati alleged that when her party refused to enter into an electoral alliance with the BJP at the Centre prior to the previous Lok Sabha elections, the saffron party 'falsely implicated' her in the Taj Corridor case to exert pressure.

She also accused the previous NDA government of misusing the CBI and filing a disproportionate assets case against her to tarnish her and her party's image. Source: http://www.rediff.com/news/2008/jun/21maya.htm

Poll tie-up arrangements at preliminary stage: BJP

Poll tie-up arrangements at preliminary stage: BJP

From our Correspondent JORHAT, June 16: The State unit of Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) hasn’t come up with any definite poll strategy for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections in Asom. Though the party is harping on terrorism, price rise and foreign policy as the basic issues for the Parliamentary elections, it hasn’t sounded a clear note on alliance with any political parties in the State for the next General Election.“Several parties and organizations have approached us lately and the discussions are at a preliminary stage,” the BJP’s central observer for Asom, Harendra Pratap told reporters here today. Though BJP doesn’t advocate a policy of untouchability, it will do everything in its power to defeat the Congress, Communists and communal forces, he added.Pratap was briefing mediapersons on the proceedings of the two-day executive and office bearers’ meet of the saffron party which concluded here on Sunday. State BJP president Ramen Deka, vice president Palit Kumar Borah and other local functionaries were present at the news conference. Terming the Congress-led Government in Asom as ‘the most tainted and corrupt in the country,’ Pratap called for a polarization of non-Congress and anti-Congress votes in the State. “If we want to save the country from internal threats posed by Pakistani and Bangladeshi fundamentalist forces, the Congress has to be voted out of power in Asom and the Communist parties should be ousted from West Bengal,” the BJP leader said. The UPA allies at the Centre are not taking the sealing of the international border with Bangladesh seriously to stop infiltration, Pratap said, adding that the Asom Government is more concerned about the welfare of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants. The Maoists in Nepal, who are playing into the hands of China, also hold an external threat perception, he maintained. Referring to the high inflation in the country, the BJP’s central observer felt that it would reach a double-digit rate soon as the ‘economy is on the verge of collapse due to the policies of the UPA Government.’ The Assembly election results in the last one year have signalled that the BJP-led NDA is on course of forming the next Union Government, Pratap said. The State BJP president said that the party would press for the removal of all ministers and MLAs who are allegedly involved in the politically-motivated murders in Asom. Education Minister Ripun Bora, who was arrested on a bribery charge, should be arrested for murder too, Deka stressed. “We have adopted a resolution to push for adequate probes and other judicial action against five political murders and other lapses on the part of the State Government and its ministers,” he added. The State BJP chief called Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi the ‘merchant of corruption.’ Gogoi is shielding his colleagues who have failed to deliver on all fronts, Deka said. Asom BJP vice president Borah reeled out statistics to highlight the ‘decaying law-and-order situation in the State since 2003.

AGP leaders talk alliance with BJP

AGP leaders talk alliance with BJP
NISHIT DHOLABHAI


New Delhi, June 14: AGP legislators Chandramohan Patowary and Padma Hazarika met BJP president Rajnath Singh here today, ostensibly to work out the modalities of an alliance between the parties.

“It was a courtesy call,” said Patowary after over an hour of talks with Singh.
The two legislators met other senior BJP leaders later in the evening. BJP sources were tight-lipped about what transpired in the meeting, but did not rule out an alliance with the regional party.

AGP is part of the United National Progressive Alliance, comprising the Samajwadi Party and other smaller parties who, only a couple of months ago, wanted a third front to counter the BJP and the Congress.

For the BJP, it is a step ahead in breaking the UNPA and adding strength in Assam where it has not been able to make a dent into the Congress strongholds.

At present, the AGP and BJP have only two MPs each in the Lok Sabha from Assam.
The meeting comes at a time when talks are on for AGP’s merger with the party’s splinter groups, including the AGP (Pragatisheel).

AGP(P) leader Prafulla Kumar Mahanta has been camping in the same building as the two AGP leaders, but was absent from the meeting with the BJP leader.

Sources said Mahanta had met BJP leaders a month ago for the same reason. “We are yet to finalise,” Mahanta said. Source: telegraphindia

Centre firm to implement Accord: Sonia

By A Staff Reporter GUWAHATI, June 13 – Asserting that the Centre was committed to implementing the Assam Accord in its all aspects, Congress president and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi today and said that farmers’ interests and rural development were two key areas of focus of the UPA Government. Addressing a ‘State-level Kisan Rally’ (farmers’ rally) at the Khanapara Veterinary College playground in the city, Gandhi said that the Congress had all along been striving for development of the State and that it was duty-bound to implement the Assam Accord. “We are committed to implementing the Assam Accord in its different aspects – be it development or checking infiltration,” she said. Gandhi said that modernization of agriculture had been a top priority for the UPA Government and that more funds would be pumped in to boost the sector. Terming the Rs 70,000-crore loan waiver for farmers of the country as a landmark move, she said that the BJP-led NDA Government had done nothing for the farmers. Reiterating its commitment to protect the State from flood and erosion, the Congress president said that the recommendations of the flood task force were being implemented to check the menace. Claiming that the UPA Government was successful in arresting a possible steeper hike in oil prices, Gandhi said that fuel prices in India were still much lower than in its neighbouring countries. “While the BJP was in power, oil price in the international market was Rs 30-40 a barrel which is now Rs 130-140 a barrel. The recent hike, therefore, was inevitable but is still comparatively low considering the unprecedented hike in the international market,” she reasoned. In a veiled reference to the proposed Indo-US nuclear deal, Gandhi said that the changing circumstances made it imperative that prospects of nuclear energy were explored to meet growing power needs. “Nuclear energy has gained much importance in view of the steep rise in global oil prices,” she said.Gandhi had a word of praise for the self-help group (SHG) movement in the State, saying that with 80 per cent woman participation, the nearly 1.5 lakh SHGs of Assam were giving a fillip to woman entrepreneurship in villages. Gandhi further said that the ambitious Bharat Nirman project would change the face of the villages in terms of infrastructure and amenities. Gandhi also said that the Centre accorded priority to the development of minority communities and had set up a special ministry for them. Earlier, the UPA chairperson recalled the sacrifices of the farming community in India’s freedom struggle, and dwelt specifically on the farmers’ revolts of Assam at Patharughat and Phulaguri. Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, Congress Working Committee (CWC) member Veerappa Moily, Union Ministers Santosh Mohan Dev and Bijoy Krishna Handique, senior leader Margaret Alva and Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Bhubaneswar Kalita were present at the dais. Earlier, Sonaram Bardoloi and Deepali Senapati, two model farmers, felicitated Sonia Gandhi. Source: assam tribune