Camp: Kishanganj, Bihar Date: 30th January, 2014 Time: 5.

15 pm Sonia Gandhi at Kishanganj targets BJP: They only want the chair, the power, at any cost Congress President and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Thursday laid the foundation stone of a centre of the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) at Bihars Kishanganj. While addressing the gathering after the function, she cautioned the people against the threat of communal forces and stressed for the need to wage a battle against them. There are forces at present which are trying to derail Mahatma Gandhi's ideology. We must fight them and that is the greatest challenge before us said Sonia Gandhi. Highlighting the policies of the central government, the UPA Chairperson said, We brought in, for the first time in our history, the Right to Information Bill and Lokpal Bill to fight corruption. We also implemented Mahatma Gandhi NREGA to guarantee jobs for the rural poor and the Food Security Act to make sure that no one in our country lives in hunger. About 80 crores of our people, both in rural and urban areas, will have the benefits of the Food Security Act by providing subsidized food grains. We also gave focus to improve the health care facilities. Sarva Siksha Abhiyan and Right to Education ensure free education to school going children. The UPA Government implemented various schemes and programmes for the minority communities and the benefits of the same are now visible. Because of our progressive measures, the enrolment of children in madrasas, especially the girls, has shown an upsurge in the recent times and I am happy for it. We accepted the recommendations of the Sachar Commission. For the development of Waqf properties for the community welfare, particularly for Muslims in India, we have established the National Waqf Development Corporation Limited, which was inaugurated yesterday in Delhi by our Prime minister said Sonia Gandhi on central govts minority-welfare policies. When a state develops, the country also develops and we all must be happy. We are going through a critical periods and some hard questions need to be answered. So we all must be united to go forward, fight divisive forces and put in our efforts for development. It is a battle of ideologies. We always believe in Secularism and we always fought to protect its values and will continue to do so. The country will develop and people will live happily only if there is brotherhood and harmony, said the Congress President. In an indirect dig at BJP, the Congress leader continued, There are some forces today, which do not have faith in our glorious culture and its secular ethos. They want to divide the nation and the people on communal lines. They indulge in spreading the poison of hatred and disharmony. They only want the chair; they want just power, at any cost. We all must be vigilant against such forces.

Congress has been fighting to bring in happiness and prosperity in the lives of all sections of the people the minorities, Adivasis, minorities, downtrodden and women, she added. I just want to say that your struggles are Congress party's struggles and your fight is the Congress party's fight said Sonia Gandhi while concluding her speech. Full text of the speech of Sonia Gandhi at Kishanganj, Bihar 65 years back, on this day, Gandhi Ji was killed by one person belonging to the communal forces and tried to weaken our secular culture. Those same forces are trying to divide our nation on communal lines, today too. There are forces at present which are trying to derail Mahatma Gandhi's ideology. We must fight them and that is the greatest challenge before us. Education will have a key role in this fight. As you are aware, I have just laid the foundation stone for Aligarh Muslim University Centre at Kishanganj. I take this opportunity to appreciate the efforts of your MP to make this dream a reality. I am hopeful that this new centre will provide opportunities for the youth here to avail modern education and skill development. Every Indian is proud of our prestigious Aligarh Muslim University. Bihar is the symbol of rich culture and secularism. The efforts of the Congress have been to extend maximum help for the overall development of Bihar so that even the last person in the society will prosper. Though the party is not in power in Bihar, the UPA government has given Rs 1,24,000 crore to the state. The UPA Government, in its ten-year old regime, sent huge funds for the development of Bihar. UPA govt always believed in inclusive growth. We brought in, for the first time in our history, the Right to Information Bill and Lokpal Bill to fight corruption. We also implemented Mahatma Gandhi NREGA to guarantee jobs for the rural poor and the Food Security Act to make sure that no one in our country lives in hunger. About 80 crores of our people, both in rural and urban areas, will have the benefits of the Food Security Act by providing subsidized food grains. We also gave focus to improve the health care facilities and we have policies now to provide free treatment for pregnant women and infants. Sarva Siksha Abhiyan and Right to Education ensure free education to school going children. We also gave financial support to madrasas so that the children studying there will get modern education. The UPA Government implemented various schemes and programmes for the minority communities and the benefits of the same are now visible. Because of our progressive measures, the enrolment of children in madrasas, especially the girls, has shown an upsurge in the recent times and I am happy for it. We accepted the recommendations of the Sachar Commission. For the development of Waqf properties for the community welfare, particularly for Muslims in India, we have established the National Waqf Development Corporation Limited, which was inaugurated yesterday in Delhi by our Prime minister.

These are just some examples. Congress has always worked for the development of all sections of society and all regions in the country without making any distinction. We, therefore, send funds to all states under various schemes and polices and it is the responsibility of the state governments to implement those programmes properly and promptly so that the people get benefits in time.

When a state develops, the country also develops and we all must be happy. We are going through a critical periods and some hard questions need to be answered. So we all must be united to go forward, fight divisive forces and put in our efforts for development. It is a battle of ideologies. We always believe in Secularism and we always fought to protect its values and will continue to do so. The country will develop and people will live happily only if there is brotherhood and harmony.

There are some forces today, which do not have faith in our glorious culture and its secular ethos. They want to divide the nation and the people on communal lines. They indulge in spreading the poison of hatred and disharmony. They only want the chair; they want just power, at any cost. We all must be vigilant against such forces.

Congress has been fighting to bring in happiness and prosperity in the lives of all sections of the people the minorities, Adivasis, minorities, downtrodden and women. We will continue to do so.

Before ending, I just want to say that your struggles are Congress party's struggles and your fight is the Congress party's fight.

Thank you.