By Mohammed Siddique, TwoCircles.net,
Hyderabad : A combative UPA chairperson and Congress president Sonia Gandhi today made her intentions of taking the issue of Indo US Nuclear deal to Aam Admi by saying that the deal was aimed at bringing light in to the dark homes of the poor families but the opposition was coming in the way of meeting the energy requirements of the nation.
Addressing a mammoth public meeting in Nellore district, Sonia Gandhi brushed aside the allegations of the erstwhile left allies and other opposition parties that the deal with the USA will be endanger the sovereignty of the nation, its nuclear program and independent foreign policy.
Asserting that the nuclear deal was in the best interest of India she said, “I have no doubt that the future generations will recognize the value of this agreement, will recognize what the prime minister is doing today”.
Lashing out at the opposition she said that instead of recognizing the importance of this agreement, they were making baseless accusations against the Congress and the UPA government. An angry looking Sonia thundered, “we do not need and we do not want any certificate from any body else, from any other party on our patriotism and our commitment to the interests of our country”, she said.
“There is no question, there is no question of compromising on our security interest on our nuclear program and on our independence in foreign policy”, she repeatedly asserted asking the people to think about all these issues. She asked the people which party had given India its independent foreign policy. Replying to question herself she said that it was Congress which did it. “It is the Congress party and no other party that launched and strengthened our nuclear program”, Sonia Gandhi said.
Asserting that at no cost the UPA government will go back on the nuclear deal, she challenged the opponents of the Indo-US nuclear deal specially left parties o say whether the country does not need nuclear power. There was no question of the UPA government going back on nuclear deal because the country needs the nuclear energy, she said.
“We have been accused of compromising national interests… I want to tell you clearly that the Congress, which got independence and its leaders Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi made supreme sacrifices, will never weaken the nation,” Sonia Gandhi said.
Her remarks came at a time when the Congress led UPA government was going to face the trial of strength in the Parliament in next few days and the entire opposition from left to the right is breathing down the neck of the prime minister Manmohan Singh.
Sonia Gandhi told the people that Congress party and its leaders will never compromise on the interest of the country on any issue including the nuclear deal and the foreign policy.
Earlier Sonia Gandhi formally launched the Rajiv Arogya Sri, a free health insurance scheme for the below poverty line families in ten districts. With this all the 23 districts in the state have come under this scheme.
Sonia Gandhi said that the Argoya Sri scheme was a big blessing for the poor people and it was a model worth emulating for the other states in the country. “It will be of great help to the poor facing the major health problems”, she said.