Sonia Gandhi: We are committed to India's unity, will fight those who divide us

“We should understand that people are disillusioned by the political process, we should be sensitive to that and bring changes to that effect, said Sonia Gandhi in her address on the last day of the three-day Chintan Shivir of the Congress in Jaipur on Sunday.

 The Congress President added, “Corruption is a deep-seated malaise. We are resolved to fight against it. That is why we have passed the Lokpal Bill in the last Lok Sabha session. We have introduced the ‘aapka paisa, aapke haath’ direct cash transfer scheme to weed out middle-men from the system,” she announced. Sonia Gandhi said, "India is a country rooted in a strong federal structure that works for its people and has principled relationship with neighbours."

The party president highlighted the achievements of the UPA government such as the direct cash transfer scheme. and against corruption. The government has initiated a five-point programme, including drafting laws to combat corruption, she said. Agriculture and farmer is central to our programmes.

We are committed to India's unity, will fight those who divide us, she said.

 "We are forming a committee to process all suggestions that have come here and work on programmes we can implement," informed Sonia Gandhi.  Talking about the Delhi gang rape case, Sonia Gandhi said, "Will ensure that the death of the Delhi Gang rape victim does not go in vain." Saying that the meeting came against the backdrop about the safety of women, she referred to the brutal gang-rape that shook the nation."She is a symbol of women and children who suffer from similar fate," she said. Sonia Gandhi said "we will ensure that her death will not go in vain". Saying that certain politicians had made outrageous comments following the incident, she said: "We can not tolerate mindsets that lead to crimes against women." "Every woman, every girl in our country has the fundamental right to be secure and safe," said Sonia Gandhi. "I will personally continue to press for the Women's Reservation Bill which will allow 1/3rd reservation for women in Parliament and state legislatures," she said.

The Jaipur declaration called on all secular and progressive forces to unite in ideological battle against those who polarise and divide society.