Firdaus Khan
Mubarakpur, Azamgarh (Uttar Pradesh). On the fourth day of the fourth phase of his campaign for Congress in the poll bound Uttar Pradesh All India congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary Rahul Gandhi said that the 22 years rule by the non-Congress parties is rersponsible for the lack of development in the state. Addressing a public rally at Mubarakpur in Uttar Pradesh the Congress General Secretary said that the state needs a government that works for all caste, religion, aam aadmi, poor, minorities, dalits and adivasis.
Rahul Gandhi reminded that in 2004 people gave a mandate to the Congress. “During the campaign for the Lok Sabha elections in 2004 while other parties made a number of hollow promises Congress had only promised a government of aam aadmi that works for poor, farmers, minorities, dalits and adivasis and we delivered it. “We want every citizen, people from every caste, creed and religion, to be a part in the process of development”.
“But the opposition 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 without going to the people or talking to them. They did not go to people, share their meals or drink the contaminated water from their well, still believed blindly that India was shining. ,” he alleged.
 “We found that no jobs are available in the villages. So the first thing we did was to implement MGNREGA to guarantee jobs for all. By this biggest employment generation scheme poor are assured of jobs if they intend to work. Through MNREGA poor are assured of a minimum of 100 days jobs in a year and a daily wage of Rs 120,” said Rahul Gandhi on UPA’s Mahatma Gandhi NREGA policy.
“When we make policies for the poor and aam aadmi, Mayawati and NDA raise a number of questions. They ask from where we can have money for the scheme,” informed Rahul Gandhi. “This money did not fall from the sky. This is the money of your sweat and blood. This money is the result of hard work of farmers and labourers from UP in Maharashtra, Delhi, Haryana and Punjab. If the country is developing it is because of your efforts, your blood and sweat,” said Rahul Gandhi amidst applauds.
Taking a jab at Mayawati he continued, “But Mayawati says that there is no benefit for the people of U.P by the NREGA policy. You please ask people in Kerala, Maharashtra, Haryana, Delhi or Assam. Everyone will vouch for the benefit of the NREGA policy. Had she ever come to you she would have realized the gravity of the difficulties being faced by you? Now neither Mayawati nor Mulayam Singh comes to you.”
Rahul Gandhi said that the present political leaders in UP do not go to the people and so they do not understand their pain and problems. “The main issue is that your leaders do not come to you to understand the difficulties. When I go to people, share their meals and drink water from your well some leaders laugh at me. They ask why Rahul Gandhi is doing so. I do so to realize your problems and pain. I want to hold your hands and work with you and wish to learn from you. I could not gather the knowledge you gave me anywhere else,” said Rahul Gandhi to the cheering crowd.  
 Further referring the misuse of Central funds sent to U.P Rahul Gandhi said, “We send thousands of crores of rupees to UP. We sent huge funds under various schemes like MNREGA and NRHM. But these funds did not reach you. The money meant for schools, roads and electricity is being looted here. The magic elephant in Lucknow eats poor people’s money instead of grass and leaves.”
Rahul Gandhi assured that right to food is an important step forward to eradicate the evil of hunger in the country and the Congress-led government at the centre is committed to get the Food Security Bill passed. Rahul Gandhi also said that opposition parties including BSP have been opposing this much needed policy as they do not understand the pain and problems of the poor. “We gave you the right to information, right to education and now we are planning to bring the right to food. We want that no one in this country goes to sleep without food. This is the intention behind the Right to Food Bill” said Rahul Gandhi.
Taking a jab at Mayawati he continued, “but Mayawati, soon after the introduction of the Bill, said that UP will have no use for the Food Security Bill. She termed the bill as a drama of the Congress. Had she ever come to you she would have realized the gravity of the difficulties being faced by you. But she never comes to you. NDA, Mayawati or Miulayam do not come to you. Notwithstanding all these oppositions we will bring the Bill,” assured Rahul Gandhi.
“During last Parliament elections SP approached us for alliance. But we decided to fight alone and we came out strongly with 22 seats, SP got lesser seats than Congress. We did not join people like Kalyan Singh for narrow political gains. We never talk of caste or religion but talk only about development,” argued Rahul Gandhi.
Criticising the stance of both Maya and Mulayam on Sachhar Committee recommendations Rahul Gandhi said “When the Sachhar Committee recommended reservation for the minorities we decided to implement the same. We sent the scholarships as per their recommendations to all the states for minorities. But both Maya and Mulayam criticized us. They said that they would have given 18% reservation. Then why they were silent all these years? Why did not they implement the reservation when they were in power? When the media persons asked them about their comment on the reservation issue, they kept mum. But when they knew that the Congress is firm to implement the reservation, they immediately came out with the complaint that the reservation is inadequate. If it is inadequate why haven’t they implemented it when they were in power? Why their manifestos are mum on this issue?”
He then addressed the Weaver’s issues and said “When we knew about the difficulties faced by the Bunkars in UP, we approached the Prime Minister and the Central Government approved a relief package of Rs. 3,000 crores. Some of the representatives of the Bunkars came to me and requested not to distribute the funds through the state Government sources as they feared that the amount would not reach them” and then informed “We therefore redrafted the policy so that the funds will  go directly to the person’s account”. Rahul Gandhi also informed the gathering about the relief package for farmers worth Rs. 60000 crores.
 “We should think about changing the bad state of affairs in UP. You have the strength in you and you have the knowledge. You can definitely bring in changes here. You gave 22 years for others. You trusted BSP, but the elephant usurped your funds. You voted for Cycle for three times. But it punctured your future. It promised development but the goons were running the police stations. How can you trust these parties again?” he argued.
“Your people go to Maharashtra, Delhi, Haryana and Punjab and contribute for development there. But your hands are tied up in UP,” asserted Rahul Gandhi. He repeated his promise that a Congress Government will bring back developments in Uttar Pradesh like it has been doing in all the Congress-ruled states.“I am here not for elections but to tell you that this is the time to bring in the changes in U.P with the support of the youth. The moment you stand up and free yourself UP will change,” he asserted.
“Give Congress 5 years,” urged Rahul Gandhi. “We changed Delhi, Maharashtra, Haryana, Assam and Kerala. All these states are developing. We can change UP too. We will bring positive changes in UP within five years. The money meant for you should reach you. You need a Government that comes to you and helps you. So stand up and support the Congress candidates and elect a Congress Government,” Rahul Gandhi said amidst acknowledgements from the crowd.
“You have a government of aam aadmi at Delhi. Now let us bring such a government in UP too. We are ready to help you to any extent. We helped Bunkars, farmers and minorities; we are ready to help all the people. Now you talk about development, minorities, aam aadmi, farmers, labourers and downtrodden. Give Congress a chance. The development will be visible in 5 years and in ten years you will be surprised to notice the positive changes in U.P,” concluded Rahul Gandhi.