Gujarat govt anti-poor, does ‘hera-pheri’ of funds: Sonia

Gujarat govt anti-poor, does ‘hera-pheri’ of funds: Sonia 

Siddhpur: On the penultimate day of campaigning for the first phase of polls in Gujarat, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi raised the election pitch charging the Narendra Modi government of being anti-farmer, anti-poor and steeped in corruption.
    Addressing a massive rally in Siddhpur town of Patan district, she also accused the government of catering to a few favourite industrialists only. State government spokesman and minister Jaynarayan Vyas is seeking his second termfrom Siddhpur.
    Gandhi also alleged that the government has indulged in hera-pheri (malpractices) of central government funds meant for welfare schemes. “Wehaveknown aboutthe CAG reports (talking about corruption). There is large-scale corruption in Gujarat,” shesaid.
    “TheUPA governmenthas given sufficient funds for several schemes on agriculture, development, water harvesting and land improvement projects to the state. According to news reports, hera-pheri is going on (in Gujarat),” shesaid.
    Talking about farmers, she said that if the UPA government had waived off loans of farmers, why werethefarmersin Gujaratstillunder debt. “The answer to this is clear… The policies of the state government are anti-people,” hesaid.
    The Congress president, who avoided naming Modi, also harped on the crime situation saying that people are feeling unsafe because of the deteriorating law and order situation in thestate.
    Striking a local chord, Gandhi reminded people about the Congress’ contribution to the development of north Gujarat by talking about irrigation projects of Dharoi and Sippu and the establishment of ONGCby thelatePrimeMinister Jawaharlal Nehru. “Farmers of the region are suffering because of lack of water and power and the people know who are responsible for this,” shesaid.
    Targeting the BJP’s campaign of ‘injustice to Gujarat by the central government’, she said, “The UPA governmenthasdone noinjusticeto Gujarat but the state government here has done the real injustice to the poor and needy by working in favour of a few favourite industrialistsonly.Allthefundshavebeen divertedtobenefitthesebusinessmen.”
    Referring tothe power situation, she claimed that the central governmenthad given 3,128 MW power and aRs1,800crore grantto provideelectricity to farmers. Yet, 57 talukas were still in the dark and 4.5 lakh farmerswerewithout power.

UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi greets supporters in Siddhpur on Monday