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Nuclear energy vital, says Sonia

PHOTO: RITU RAJ KONWAR

Congress president Sonia Gandhi with Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi at a farmers’ rally in Guwahati on Friday. —

Guwahati: United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi said on Friday that the country should realise the importance of nuclear energy in view of the increasing oil price at the international level and its fallout.

Speaking at a farmers rally organised by the Congress here, she said: “The challenges before the country today are inflation and escalating prices that are fallouts of the surging global oil prices. The prices of petrol and diesel in our neighbouring countries are higher than in our country. Our government is making all efforts to protect people from the impact of the global crude oil price hike.”

Ms. Gandhi pointed out that price of kerosene was not increased keeping in mind the interests of the poor.

Inflation and spiralling prices were a matter of concern for the UPA government and it was making the best efforts to reduce the burden on the poor. The decisions taken by it were in the interests of all sections.

While the global oil price during the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance rule was $30-40 a barrel it was $130-140 now, she said. Ms. Gandhi, who is on a two-day visit to the northeast, lauded Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi for his prompt action when she requested him to reduce sales tax to lower the fuel price. Describing the farm loan waiver scheme as a historic and revolutionary initiative, she said: “The Manmohan Singh-led government has all along paid special interest to the welfare of farmers, and hence our government decided to waive bank loans for farmers to the tune of Rs. 70,000 crore.” “What did the BJP do for the welfare of the farmers when they were in power? They did nothing for the farmers,” she said. The Congress and the UPA government were paying special attention to Assam. The Centre was committed to implementing the Assam Accord, signed in 1985 between the All Assam Students’ Union and Rajiv Gandhi. On initiatives for the uplift of the minorities, she said that for the first time in history, the UPA government set up a separate Ministry for the welfare of the minorities.

She hoped that this would go a long way in taking care of the minorities’ needs. Mr. Gogoi said 22 lakh farmers of the State would benefit by the loan waiver scheme. He claimed that Assam’s GDP had gone up to 8.1 from 2.1 during the AGP rule.

PTI reports:

Normal life was affected on Friday in the tribal-dominated areas of lower Assam following a 36-hour bandh called by Adivasi organisations in protest against Ms. Gandhi’s visit to the State.

Official sources said markets, shops, offices, educational institutions and banks remained closed. Private vehicles and long-distance buses were off the roads though trains operated normally.

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