Bhilai: Congress President and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi addressed a huge election rally at Bhilai in poll bound Chhattisgarh on Tuesday and hit out at the BJP government in the state for lack of development.

1. Camp: Bhilai (Chhattisgarh)
Date: 12th November, 2013
Time: 6 pm
Sonia Gandhi in Bhilai: Chhattisgarh is way behind in development due to BJP misrule
Bhilai: Congress President and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi addressed a huge election rally at Bhilai in poll bound
Chhattisgarh on Tuesday and hit out at the BJP government in the state for lack of development.
“The Central government sent huge funds under all these schemes for Chhattisgarh but despite this, the people are facing
huge difficulties. Poverty has been on rise. I want to ask BJP what development they are talking about in Chhattisgarh. Who
is progressing here? They make big promises but do nothing. You can feel the pulse of misrule by the BJP in every nook and
corner of the state. Common man lives in fear. Why it is happening because the BJP government in the state is not at all
bothered about its people” said the Congress President slamming the BJP misrule in the state.
“The corruption has broken all its records under BJP’s ten year regime in Chhattisgarh. CAG has pointed fingers towards
several ministers and BJP leaders over corruption but the state government took no action against them. The funds sent for
development by the Centre is being misused and diverted for the personal purposes” alleged the UPA Chairperson.
Highlighting the achievements of the Congress led UPA Government at the Centre, Sonia Gandhi said, “UPA government
understands the sentiments of the people and realises their problems. We have therefore adopted a right‐based approach.
We have Right of Information Act so that any citizen of India can gather any information regarding the government
functioning. By Right to Education, every child has the right for free education in government schools upto the age of 14”
“Mahatama Gandhi NREGA guarantees 100 days of job guarantee for rural poor. We also brought in Food Security Bill to
make sure that no one in our country lives in hunger. We enacted Right to Forest law to grant rights to the Adivasis in their
lands and forest crops. We have launched “Aam Adami Beema Yojana” for workers in the unorganised sectors and also
implemented schemes like old‐age pension. Through Panchayati Raj system, the women were given 50% in local bodies.
Similar other schemes were also implemented to the welfare and empowerment of women. All our policies are aimed at all
round development and for the welfare and upliftment of the most underprivileged” she added.
“We don’t believe in making false promises. We do, whatever we say” claimed Sonia Gandhi. “Our efforts will be to ensure
progress of the state and improvement in the lives of the people. We will implement schemes that the BJP‐led government
hasn't implemented so far” promised the Congress leader while concluding her address.
Eighteen Constituencies spread over eight districts in south Chhattisgarh went to polls on Monday while the remaining 72
segments will go into polls on November 19. As many as 985 candidates are in the fray for 90 seats.

2. Full text of Mrs. Sonia Gandhi’s speech at Bhilai, Chhattisgarh
On behalf of every Congress leader and on all behalf all of you I offer my condolences to the families of those Police Jawans
who lost their lives in today’s Naxal attack.
Your city is really a small India. People belonging to different parts of India are living here. Your city is quite popular in all
over the world. Why this is possible? Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, who laid out a roadmap for industrial growth in our country
after independence, started the steel plant in Bhilai, which played an important role in all round development in and
around this place. Many other industries also did come up in and around Bhilai by which many people could secure jobs.
This could also prevent migration for jobs from here.
Congress policies are always aimed at Industrial growth, providing employment and ensure a happy and peaceful life to the
people. You have every kind of resources like mines, forests and water but I am sad that you are still suffering and
Chhattisgarh is way behind in development due to BJP’s misrule. That’s not all; due to BJP’s wrong policies several
industries have suffered huge losses. They also did not implement our policies for boosting industries. BJP government has
also been careless to implement our social welfare schemes in the state.
The Centre keep sending thousands of crores of rupees under various schemes like JNNURM or Rajiv Gandhi Grameen
Vidyutikaran Yojana but the people in Chhattisgarh could not avail its benefits in the required manner due to the mis‐
governance by the BJP. We do know the consequences when a state doesn’t develop properly. Unemployment increases,
people face more hardship, youth get depressed and such situations can take people to wrong paths.
UPA government understands the sentiments of the people and realises their problems. We have therefore adopted a
right‐based approach. We have Right of Information Act so that any citizen of India can gather any information regarding
the government functioning. By Right to Education, every child has the right for free education in government schools upto
the age of 14.
Mahatama Gandhi NREGA guarantees 100 days of job guarantee for rural poor. We also brought in Food Security Bill to
make sure that no one in our country lives in hunger. We enacted Right to Forest law to grant rights to the Adivasis in their
lands and forest crops. We have launched “Aam Adami Beema Yojana” for workers in the unorganised sectors and also
implemented schemes like old‐age pension. Through Panchayati Raj system, the women were given 50% in local bodies.
Similar other schemes were also implemented to the welfare and empowerment of women. All our policies are aimed at all
round development and for the welfare and upliftment of the most underprivileged.
The Central government sent huge funds under all these schemes for Chhattisgarh but despite this, the people are facing
huge difficulties. Poverty has been on rise. I want to ask BJP what development they are talking about in Chhattisgarh. Who
is progressing here? They make big promises but do nothing. You can feel the pulse of misrule by the BJP in every nook and

3. corner of the state. Common man lives in fear. Why it is happening because the BJP government in the state is not at all
bothered about its people.
The corruption has broken all its records under BJP’s ten year regime in Chhattisgarh. CAG has pointed fingers towards
several ministers and BJP leaders over corruption but the state government took no action against them. The funds sent for
development by the Centre is being misused and diverted for the personal purposes.
We don’t believe in making false promises. We do, whatever we say. We have not only assured to take several measures
for improving education, health and industrial growth but also offered that we will take necessary steps to ensure welfare
and upliftment of all sections of the societies especially Adivasis, Dalits and backwards in our manifesto which has a
detailed roadmap for all round development of Chhattisgarh. We will honestly deliver on our promises with commitment,
dedication and devotion. Our efforts will be to ensure progress of the state and improvement in the lives of the people. We
will implement schemes that the BJP‐led government hasn't implemented so far.
This is my promise but only if you give a chance to us to form a government in the state. You must cast each and every
single vote in favour of Congress and play an important role in transforming Chhattisgarh.
Thank you.