Firdaus Khan 
Sidhauli, Sitapur (Uttar Pradesh). Addressing a mammoth rally at Sidhauli, Sitapur in Uttar Pradesh as part of the third phase of his campaign for Congress All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary Rahul Gandhi once again criticized the twenty two years non-Congress Governments in U.P for the bad state of affairs. Rahul Gandhi promised that, given a chance, the Congress will bring back developments in Uttar Pradesh like it did in all Congress ruled states.
Referring a complaint he received on the spot that there is acute shortage of electricity in Sidhauli, Rahul Gandhi told the gathering that not only Sidhauli, every place in the state of Uttar Pradesh has this problem.
Congress General Secretary reminded that during the campaign for the Lok Sabha elections in 2004 Congress had made only single promise – a government of aam aadmi. “Political parties brought out slogans like India Shining. When those who had made the slogan were asked about its origin they said that they saw it in a television advertisement. They decided that India is shining while sitting inside their big bungalows. But in villages the reality was quite different. India cannot shine if we do not have proper roads, adequate electricity and sufficient water. In the U.P. too parties like BJP, BSP and SP have made a number of hollow promises but did nothing to fulfill those. We, on the other hand, promised a government that works for aam aadmi, poor, minorities, dalits and adivasis. The people gave mandate by electing an aam aadmi government of the Congress,” he said taking a swipe at opposition.
He spoke at length of the various changes brought about by the Congress-led UPA government at the centre. He reminded that it was the Congress that ensured empowering rights to the people like MGNREGA, Right to Information, Right of Education and now is in the process of legislation of the Right to Food by providing food at subsidized rates for the poor. “By the food Security bill every poor family is assured 35 kg of food,” Rahul Gandhi said.
“We found that no jobs are available in the villages. So the first thing we did was that the implementation of MGNREGA to guarantee jobs for all. Through MGNREGA, the biggest employment generation scheme, poor are assured of jobs if they intend to work. Through this scheme poor are assured of a minimum of 100 days jobs in a year and a daily wage of Rs 120. When calculated it adds up to Rs 12,000 per year,” said Rahul Gandhi. 
Slamming Mayawati for calling MGNREGA useless Rahul Gandhi remarked, “While all other states are acknowledging that MGNREGA is the most useful policy UP CM says the scheme is of no use. People in Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Assam, Rajasthan or Kerala will vouch for the benefits of the scheme. They will admit that this scheme gave them the right for employment. But your Chief Minister on October 9 2007 said during a rally that this scheme is of no use for Uttar Pradesh. We talk about the rights of the poor and we guarantee jobs to all Mayawati ji guarantees that the funds meant for this scheme is eaten up by the elephant in Lucknow. Normally elephants eat leaves and grass but the magic elephant of Mayawati in Lucknow eats money.”
He further added, “earlier only MPs or MLAs or bureaucrats were able to gather any information about the government officers or its actions. The common men did not having any right to ask for any information. But by bringing the Right to Information (RTI) Act UPA government ensured that everybody in the country is empowered to ask questions. When this was implemented a number of cases of corruption came out”.
Informing the gathering regarding the proposed Land Acquisition Amendment Bill Rahul Gandhi continued, “when rich sell their land they get the market price. But in UP under Mayawati Government if a poor farmer sells his land and asks for adequate compensation he got bullets. In Tappal and Bhatta-Parsaul striking farmers including women were assaulted by the BSP Government.  Neither Mayawati nor Mulayam Singh Yadav went there.  But I went there to understand their problems. Not only that, the Congress drafted a new Land Acquisition Bill to ensure that the poor farmers get adequate compensation for their lands.”  
“We gave the right to food, right to education and now we are going to implement the right to food policy too. But your Chief Minister who is readying for the polls says that the Right to food is of no use like she said in the case of Mahatma Gandhi NREGA. She is getting her magic elephant ready to eat up the huge funds meant for this scheme too,” said the Congress General Secretary amidst cheers.
“We do not make hollow promises. We believe in delivering good for the aam aadmi. From 2004 we have been serving the poor. Our intention is to strengthen the hands of the poor,” claimed Rahul Gandhi.
Taking another dig at the opposition Rahul Gandhi went on to say “whenever we make policies for the poor, the opposition including Mayawatiji raise a number of questions. They ask from where we would have the money for the welfare schemes. But we showed them from where we can have money. There is no shortage of funds today. We believe that the country cannot shine even a single poor man is left”.
He then repeated his anguish about leaders not visiting the masses and said “Today your leaders do not come to you, talk to you or listen to you. There was a time when Mulayamji used to come to you to realize your problems. But he changed now and stopped coming to you. Till the leaders come to you and interact with you they cannot understand poverty. You will feel that all is well when you travel by helicopter. The conditions at grass root level are pathetic here.”
To substantiate his leader-aam aadmi theory Rahul Gandhi cited one of his personal experiences. “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. Four-five 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 from the helipad the roads were being repaired and the hospital building was being painted. This is the state of affairs ion your state.”

“When the entire Bundelkhand region was badly affected by the drought, Mayawatiji did not find it suitable to go there. I also requested her to visit Bundelkhand, but she did not pay a visit,” he added. 
“I come to you. I share your meals. Drink water from your well and sometimes even fall ill. I have kept on doing this for the past seven years. All because I want to know the real issues of the poor and aam aadmi,” he said amidst cheers of acknowledgement.
“Has your CM (Mayawati) come to you in the past five years? Has she talked to you? Has she drunk water from your well? Is she travelling through the shabby roads here? ” asked Rahul Gandhi and the huge crowd responded with a big ‘no’.
 “Your people go to Mumbai, Delhi, Assam, Manipur or Punjab for jobs. You built the shining Metro in Delhi. When the entire Delhi sleeps you work overnight. Your people go as far as Ladak for work. I asked people of UP I met in Ladak. They said that they had no option as there were no jobs available in UP,” argued Rahul Gandhi.
Then the young Congress leader reminded, “it is your responsibility to put an end to these bad affairs in Uttar Pradesh. You need leaders who come to you, listen to you and understand you. If you need a change you need a Government who thinks about your future, your children’s education and the future of the young generation”.
“You wasted 22 years of the state by electing non-Congress Governments” asserted Rahul Gandhi and continued “in UP non-Congress parties have been talking about caste and religion at the cost of welfare of poor. They work only for 10% of the society and ignored the rest 90%. They talked about particular caste only and did not bother about the people as a whole. This is not the matter of politics but is of your future”.
 “You gave 22 years for other parties. Now give us five years.  You can see the states Maharashtra, Haryana, Delhi or Kerala where Congress is in power. All are developing. We will change UP too,” promised Rahul Gandhi. 
“Don’t the people of UP have the right to earn a job in their own state? Don’t they have the right to get their children educated here in UP?” he asked.
 “Now you think about bringing changes. Think about bringing in a Government of aam aadmi who talks about your future and development of the state. Certainly you can do it. I am here with you to support you. You have the strength,” said Rahul Gandhi encouraging the crowd. “The moment you will have a government who thinks about the development, the situation will change. If Congress comes to power the development will be visible in five years and within 10 years the face of your state will be changed completely,” added Rahul Gandhi.
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“Today your hands have been tied. The moment you are free you can make terrible changes in the state. So think for a change. Bring in a Government who thinks about your future, development and progress. Elect Congress to bring in a government of aam aadmi,” concluded Rahul Gandhi.