Mangalore: UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi address mega Public Meeting in City

By Robert DCosta
By John V Tauro
Bellevision Media Network

Mangalore, 27 Apr 2013: Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) organized mega public meeting along with UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and veteran Congressmen at Nehru maidan, here on Saturday April 27 at 3.00pm.

 

Highlights of AICC Chairperson Sonia Gandhi’s speech

 

‘It’s a delightful experience to be present in historical Mangalore, a beautiful region that truly represents unity in diversity by its temples, churches and mosques. The ethos of Congress is secularism, sadly in the recent past, the social and communal distinctive hallmark of Mangalore is destroyed by destructive forces in the guise of custodians of morality, spreading hatred for chiefly for political gain.  The businessmen in the past looked towards Karnataka to invest in industries, but now look elsewhere because of political instability caused by BJP’s rule of five-year term.  The other states were eager to emulate the success of Karnataka in the past, while the corrupt BJP rule is unprecedentedly immoral that crossed all limits.  What the people expect from government?  They expect security, to live with dignity and basic amenities.  The farmers and those involved in fisheries are in deep distress because their demands for better facilities, subsidies are not met by BJP led state administration.  The law and order situation has worsened, the welfare of poor, weaker section of society are ignored.  The union funds granted to state government meant for rural people are not better utilized.  The politicians and those associated with them are getting richer at the cost of poor.

 

 

BJP has gotten a chance to rule the state in the past assembly elections, as people expected a change in regime, which was disused by them bringing disgrace to Karnataka.  It has assured 24-hours uninterrupted electricity supply that they knew it was difficult to meet.  However, Congress is realistic in assuring 8 – 9 hours of electricity daily.  Congress determined to restore the image of badly battered Karnataka, to make Karnataka a pride of the nation with developments in all possible sectors, to strive for communal harmony in the secular set up; shunning bigotry of communal ideology.

 

UPA has introduced Right to Information (RTI) Act to bring transparency in governance.  National Rural Employment Guarantee programme – assuring 100 days of work to rural labourers, Tribal Rights Bill for empowering forest dwellers, food security Bill and the most significant Land Rehabilitation Bill to protect the interest of poor landholders are introduced by UPA, while BJP led state government has not taken interest in implementing Tribal Rights Bill.

 

Mangalore International Airport and connectivity of train services across the nation with the city is attributed to union government, while it would continue to support in the future too.

 

The victory of Congress in civic polls in Mangalore and strong waves in favour of Congress are the parameters for the upcoming assembly elections.

 

AICC general secretary Oscar Fernandes, KPCC president Dr Parameshwar, AICC chief secretary Ambika Soni, Madhusudan Mistry, Congress veteran Janardhan Poojary were present at the dais.

 

Janardhan Poojary welcomed the gathering.  Dr Parameshwar proposed vote of thanks.