New Delhi: Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Friday called for greater dialogue between the party and the Government and urged partymen to explain to the people the compulsions behind the tough economic decisions taken by the Government in recent months.
Addressing the ‘Samvad Baithak’, an informal dialogue meeting of the top brass of the party and Government, at Surajkund in the National Capital Region (NCR), Gandhi said,”Though discussions and exchange of views do happen between the party and the Government, but it is only when some major decisions need to be taken.”
“However, a need has been felt for a dialogue between the party and the Government on a regular basis, even on matters that do not necessarily involve major decisions,” she said.
Addressing the meeting, being attended by members of the Congress Working Committee, the permanent invitees of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), the Cabinet Ministers in the UPA Government and the Ministers of State (Independent Charge), Ms Gandhi also sought to defend and justified the recent measures for economic reform by the UPA Government, including allowing FDI in the multi-brand retail and putting cap on subsidised LPG cylinders.
She asked the partymen to explain to the people the compulsions behind the tough decisions by the Government.
“Due to the current economic situation, the government has had to take some decisions that have adversely impacted the common man. The challenge before us is to tell people and explain to them the compulsions behind these decisions,” Ms Gandhi said.
The Congress president also called upon partymen to counter the campaign of disinformation by Opposition parties.
“Our opponent and Opposition parties may be hell bent on spreading misinformation on political, social and policy issues but we have to counter their campaign in a strong manner.
“We are aware that in reality, their intention is to grab power at any cost, even if it means weakening the democracy and the values of secularism,” Ms Gandhi added.
She called upon those in the Government to put their all out efforts in completing the pending work in the direction of implementing the pending and unfulfilled promises in the party manifesto in the 2009 polls.
“Those in the Government should put all their efforts in completing the pending work on implementing the 2009 manifesto of the party.
The Government should ensure that whatever resources are available are utilised in a proper way and that benefits of the various programmes reach people who need them the most,” Ms Gandhi said.
Ms Gandhi said, “Many partymen have been taken by surprise at some of the decisions taken by the Government.
Many of them have often been dissatisfied over their colleagues in the government and ministers not paying adequate attention to their suggestions and concerns. (PTI)