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Rahul for an India without hunger, fear

— Photo: PTI

Congress president Sonia Gandhi with party MP and son Rahul Gandhi during the launch of the Priyadarshini Scheme in Amethi on Monday.

LUCKNOW: Congress general secretary and Member of Parliament Rahul Gandhi on Monday said he dreamt of an India where there was no hunger and people lived without fear. He said his grandmother Indira Gandhi and father Rajiv Gandhi also had a dream of taking the country forward.

Addressing a function to mark the launch of ‘Priyadarshini’ scheme of women self-help groups in Gauriganj in his Amethi constituency, the Congress general secretary said people could become self-reliant only if women joined self-help groups in large numbers.

Mr. Gandhi drove his point home with a description of his visit to the house of a poor village woman and mother of two, Sunita, during a recent visit to his constituency. The MP said during the course of his interaction with Sachin and Naman, Sunita’s sons, he was told that they feared the police most. On being asked why, the kids replied it was because they beat up their father, Mr. Gandhi said.

Continuing, he said when he asked Sunita’s husband why he wore warm clothes while his children were virtually naked, the husband said he wore warm clothes so that he does not catch the winter chill, because if he took ill his kids will starve as there would be no work, no food.

Mr. Gandhi said efforts should be made to ensure two square meals a day for poor people like Sunita and her family, who should be able to live without fear.

In her address, UPA chairperson and Congress president Sonia Gandhi stressed on the empowerment of women through self-help groups and said development was not possible without the participation of women.

Underlining the importance of women’s education, Ms. Gandhi said a literate woman cab work wonders in the progress of society. She enumerated the measures taken by the Manmohan Singh Government for empowering women, like Women’s Reservation Bill.

She launched the Priyadarshini scheme (after Indira’s middle name) in Bahraich, Shravasti, Rae Bareli and Sultanpur districts. Loans to self-help groups would be extended by the National Bank of Agriculture and Rural Development.

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