The Hindu : Centre's claim on growth rate ridiculed

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jan 21, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Centre's claim on growth rate ridiculed

By Our Special Correspondent

The All India Mahila Congress president, Rita Bahuguna Joshi, the State chief, J. Geetha Reddy, and the Chittoor DCC president, P. Ramachandra Reddy, at a convention at Tirupati on Tuesday. The former Minister, R. Chenga Reddy, and the PCC secreta ry, B. Karunakar Reddy, look on.

TIRUPATI. Jan. 20. The president of the All-India Mahila Congress Committee, Rita Bahuguna Joshi, today said that contrary to the "propaganda" that there was an increase in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) during the NDA rule, the United Nation's annual report released recently said, "India's Human Development Index, in fact, nosedived by three points, while its performance in the social sector, covering, health, education, employment, power, etc. was poor."

India's place vis-a-vis rural water supply was 126, next to Nigeria, among the member nations of the UN, Ms. Bahuguna pointed out.

"We have in fact meagre facilities in the social sector than ever before," she said quoting figures from the UN report and described as "publicity blitzkrieg" NDA leaders' propaganda.

She also had a dig at the Prime Minister, A.B. Vajpayee, and the Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu, saying it was perhaps for the first time that the country was seeing a ruling party and not the Opposition that was clamouring for an early poll. Stating that their anxiety was "palpable," Ms. Bahuguna said "while Mr. Naidu is keen on exploiting the sympathy factor, Mr. Vajapayee is worried about having the election after March-April as the acute power and drinking water scarcity and the consequent voter fury will throw him out of power."

The State Mahila Congress president, J. Geetha Reddy, said unless women rallied behind the Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, it was difficult to unseat the Telugu Desam and the NDA Governments.

If what the Congress leaders said during their speeches and later at a joint press conference was any indication, the party seemed to be keen on playing the `woman' card to whip up their sentiments in favour of Ms. Gandhi.

For instance, Ms. Bahuguna, addressing women at the meeting, said only women could understand problems of women better and pointed out that the first thing Ms. Gandhi would do if elected to power would be to get the Woman's Bill passed. She would also provide 33 per cent reservation in Parliament and Assemblies, she said.

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