Firdaus Khan
Pachperwa, Balrampur (Uttar Pradesh). On the third day of his tour to Uttar Pradesh Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi reiterated that he will continue to go to the people to know their problems. He was addressing a rally at Pachperwa in Balrampur, Uttar Pradesh as a part of the Congress campaign for the upcoming assembly polls.
"Whenever I mingle with the poor, visit their homes and share meals with them some senior leaders while sitting inside TV studios mock at me. They call such things a drama of Rahul Gandhi. If interacting with the people to understand their problems is a drama I will continue with this drama throughout my life. I will go to their homes. I will eat their food. I will drink water from their well. I may fall sick but that is no deterrent. But I will not stop it," said Rahul Gandhi amidst loud applauds.
Elaborating on the performance of the Congress Governments Congress General Secretary said, “The UPA Government at the centre has been working for the benefits of the common man, poor, dalit, adivasis and underprivileged. All the Congress-led governments in various states like Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Delhi continue the efforts of serving the common man. We made policies like MGNREGA, Sarva Siksha Abhiyan and Janani Suraksha Yojana for the benefits of the poor in the country. By the MGNREGA policy every poor person is assured of a minimum of 100 days jobs in a year with a daily wage of Rs120. We sanctioned amounts under this scheme to Uttar Pradesh also. Day before yesterday only we sanctioned a huge fund for the state. We sanctioned Rs 3,000 crore funds for Bundelkhand too. But the amount does not reach you. In Uttar Pradesh also you should bring in a government that listens to you.”
Referring to the deteriorating conditions in the state the young Congress leader said, “there was a time when the state of Uttar Pradesh showed the path for others. But today all other states like Kerala, Haryana and Delhi have surged ahead but UP is still lagging behind. ”
Rahul Gandhi also expressed his concern over the pathetic conditions in the hospitals in the state. “I went to a hospital in UP where some painting and renovation works were going on. I went inside. There were no doctors, patients or nurses. Dogs were scampering inside. I asked them what is going on. They said that Mayawati is on a tour to this area and she will be visiting the hospital and therefore the renovation. As she was expected to take the road route so the roads were being repaired and the hospital building was being painted,” he said.  He advised Mayawati to go to the people and listen to their grievances.
Emphasizing the need for a change in UP Rahul Gandhi said, “we need to change the politics in the state. We need the politics of the youth. We changed Haryana and Delhi and we will bring in change in UP too. In 10 years UP will be counted among developed states. I urge you to change the government and bring development in Uttar Pradesh.”
A huge gathering of Congress workers and supporters were present.