Firdaus Khan
Duddhi, Sonbhadra (Uttar Pradesh). On the last day of the fifth phase of his campaign for Congress for the upcoming assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh All India congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary Rahul Gandhi urged the people of Uttar Pradesh that the time has now come to free the state from the clutches of Elephant and Cycle. Addressing a public rally in Duddhi, Sonbhadra in Uttar Pradesh Rahul Gandhi promised that a Congress Government will ensure the rights of adivasis, farmers, dalits, minorities and aam aadmi in Uttar Pradesh.
He reminded the gathering of the Congress promise of Government of aam admi. “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, reminded Rahul Gandhi.
“The BJP brought out a slogan India Shining. When asked about the origin of the slogan their senior leader said that they picked it from a television advertisement. They did not go to people, talked to them or enquired about their problems, still believed blindly that India was shining.”
“But we came to you, talked to you and enquired about your difficulties. You told us that there are no sufficient jobs available for the poor in the villages. So the first thing we did was to design the biggest employment guarantee scheme Mahatma Gandhi NREGA, to guarantee jobs for all. By this biggest employment generation scheme poor are assured of jobs if they intend to work. Every poor is assured of 100 days of work at a daily wages of Rs 120 thus amounting to Rs 12,000 a year,” said Rahul Gandhi. “Mayawati Ji said publically that MNREGA will not the people of UP. Ask people in Kerala, Maharashtra, Haryana, Delhi or Assam and everyone will vouch for the benefit of the policy,” he averred.
“When we made this MNREGA policy, the BJP and NDA asked from where we can have money for the scheme,” informed Rahul Gandhi and added “When we make policies for the poor or aam aadmi, the opposition and Mayawati Ji ask a number of questions. But if we bring any policies for the benefit of rich and elite, they keep mum. “We showed them from where the money will come” he claimed. “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. “We do only one thing. We ensure that the money we received from you reaches back to you,” he claimed.
 The Adivasis came to us and shared their problems with us, said Rahul Gandhi. “The Central Government brought in a bill for Adivasis to grant them right in their own land” he said. “Did you get any benefit? Nobody”, he quipped.
Rahul Gandhi then referred the farmers’ issues and said “Then we came to know about the difficulties of the farmers. They told us that the doors of the banks are open only for the rich. So we immediately took steps to open the doors for the poor farmers. Further, the UPA Government approved a loan-waive off policy for them worth Rs. 60000 crore.”
“We did not realize these issues from the TV. We came to you and you told us about your hardship” commented Rahul Gandhi.
“But Mayawati Ji calls all these policies a drama. We gave the right to job for the poor, but for her it is a drama. There is only one drama being enacted in Uttar Pradesh that the magic elephant of Mayawati in Lucknow gobbles up funds for the people. It consumes the money of your sweat and blood” said Rahul Gandhi sarcastically. “We talk about right to job, rights of Adivasis and inclusive development. Now we are going to bring in one more beneficial scheme, food security bill. The bill ensures 35 kg of food grain to all the deserving families. But Mayawati Ji calls it a drama. What drama she is talking about? Opposition parties ask from where we will have the money,” he wondered.
“Now elections are here. Both Cycle and Elephant will now come to you with a lot of promises. They never came to you in the past five years,” he reminded. “Now SP says about umeed ki cycle. What umeed they are talking about? You trusted the Cycle for three times, but it punctured your future. Mayawati Ji was your Chief Minister four times. What did you get?” asked Rahul Gandhi.
“For 22 years these parties cheated you. Your people go to Maharashtra, Delhi, Haryana and Punjab and contribute for development there. When all other states are surging ahead, Uttar Pradesh slips backwards” he argued.
“We send crores of rupees for the benefits of adivasis, poor, farmers and labourers but that money is being looted in Lucknow. The responsibility of a Government is to serve the people. But here in U.P the Government is busy in looting public funds. Definitely we should change these state of affairs” said Rahul Gandhi.
“We, the Congress, want to fight for the rights for Adivasis, dalits, minorities, farmers and labourers. But here on one side there is Cycle and other side is the Elephant. Now this is the time to throw them out” he declared.
“The moment you have a Congress Government in Uttar Pradesh, you will again start witnessing developments in five years and in ten years you will not be able to recognize your own state. We assure that Uttar Pradesh also will surge ahead like other Congress ruled states in the country. So support Congress and elect a Congress Government,” concluded Rahul Gandhi.