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Sonia attacks 'corrupt, indifferent' Naidu

Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Thursday charged the Telugu Desam government in Andhra Pradesh with undermining the powers of local bodies by diverting the funds allotted to them.

She called upon Congressmen to launch an agitation 'in a peaceful and disciplined manner'.

Lambasting the government for taking away the powers of the panchayat raj bodies, Sonia alleged that their powers were being usurped, and funds diverted to the janamabhoomi programme.

Virtually kicking off the Congress campaign for this year's assembly election from Rajiv Pranganam in Tirupathi, Sonia reminded the party workers that her husband had strengthened the panchayat raj institutions to develop the country from the grassroots. Unfortunately, despite the constitutional amendment in this direction, there were basic flaws in the implementation, as the local bodies were not financially independent.

"Workers should be vigilant to ensure the party's commitment to panchayat raj, and if necessary, start an agitation to awaken the people against the deprivation of their legitimate rights by ( the TDP) government," she added.

She accused the government of corruption, besides politicising the university administration, neglecting the education sector and harassing Congress-affiliated students.

Charging the government with "neglecting" agriculture, Sonia said she was told by a delegation that 59 farmers committed suicide this year and nearly 300 last year. The immediate reasons were spurious seeds and adulterated fertilisers. Instead of rescheduling the loans of the farmers in such circumstances, the banks were attaching their property, she said.

She alleged that the TDP government was ignoring basic and primary education, and politicising higher education by appointing vice-chancellors according to its whims and fancies. About 1,000 posts of teachers were lying vacant, she said.

UNI

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