Firdaus Khan
Lalitpur (Uttar Pradesh). Kick-starting the fifth phase of his campaign for Congress for the upcoming assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh All India congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary Rahul Gandhi said that the non-Congress parties who ruled the state for the past 22 years put full stop on development in Uttar Pradesh. Addressing a public rally at Lalitpur in Uttar Pradesh the Congress General Secretary said that the present BSP Government in U.P ignored the plight of the poor and looted the funds sent by the Central Government. Rahul Gandhi added that the state needs a government that works for all caste, religion, aam aadmi, poor, minorities, dalits and adivasis and only Congress can provide it.
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 NDA brought out a slogan ‘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 did not go to people, talk to them or enquire about their problems. They did not come to the drought-hit Bundelkhand. Still believed blindly that India was shining,” he alleged. “India cannot shine without proper electricity, sufficient water or adequate jobs.” said Rahul Gandhi and added that proper thought process is required before finalizing a slogan.
“But we came to you and enquired about your problems. You told that no jobs are available in the villages. So the first thing we did was to implement MNREGA, the biggest employment guarantee scheme, to guarantee jobs for all. By this biggest employment generation scheme poor are assured of jobs if they intend to work,” said Rahul Gandhi on UPA’s Mahatma Gandhi NREGA policy.
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 may ask people in Kerala, Maharashtra, Haryana, Delhi or Assam. Everyone will vouch for the benefit of the NREGA policy. They will admit that they could get jobs, respect and for the first time they felt that a Government extended its helping hand to them”.
Referring Bundelkhand Rahul Gandhi said “I had personally requested Chief Minister Mayawati Ji to visit drought-hit Bundelkhand to find a solution to the affected people. She did not go. I went there and visited various villages and talked to a number of farmers. The people complained that the U.P Government is not realizing their issues and not helping them. We therefore took up the issue and went to the Prime Minister and requested his intervention. He immediately sanctioned a relief package of Rs. 8000 crore,” he informed the crowd and the people acknowledged it with huge applauds.
Rahul Gandhi immediately quipped “Now you clap for the achievement. But are you really angry or sad to know about this? For the past 22 years you have been clapping while appreciating the Congress Government at the Centre. When you will have a Congress Government in U.P, you will get a chance to appreciate that Government too”.
 Taking a dig at Mayawati Government the Congress General Secretary added “I had again gone to Bundelkhand. Then the farmers informed me that the funds sent for them were looted. The money was meant for relief works like construction of wells. I asked my fellow workers to take me to the places where the construction of wells is taking place. I was surprised to see that the wells were only half built and nothing was happening further. When asked I was told that the well was half-built as only the half-share given by the farmers were used, the balance was to be paid by the state Government but it did not pay the same”.
“We had sent the sufficient funds. The funds sent for the tractors are not for the ministers or their children, but for the benefit of the poor people in the region” said Rahul Gandhi and added “This problems is not only of Bundelkhand. The entire state is having the same pathetic state of affairs. The funds sent under various schemes like MNREGA or NRHM were looted in U.P. The magic elephant of Mayawati in Lucknow consumes the funds meant for the poor. It eats currency notes instead of leaves and grass”.
This is the money of your sweat and blood. This money is not of the Congress party, SP, BSP or Rahul Ji. 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 on Samajwadi Party Rahul Gandhi continued “I saw the poster ‘umeed ki Cycle’ on my way. You voted for Cycle for three times. Three times Mulayam Ji was your Chief Minister. But your trust got punctured three times. It punctured your future. It promised development but the goons were running the police stations. It was a complete goondaraj under its regime. No one was able to file FIR in police stations. How can you trust Cycle again?” he argued.
“I am here not for elections, but to bring in positive changes in Uttar Pradesh” Rahul Gandhi reiterated. “Your people go to Maharashtra, Delhi, Haryana and Punjab and contribute for development there. Your people made big buildings in Maharashtra. Your people made the shining Metro in Delhi. When the entire Delhi sleeps, the people of Bundelkhand work overnight in the Delhi roads,” 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. “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.
“Congress does not talk of religion or caste. We talk only about development. We talk about your rights. We gave you the right to information, right to education, right to job and now we are planning to bring the right to food. We want that no one in this country sleep without food” said Rahul Gandhi. “But will the food send to Uttar Pradesh reach you?” he asked with a comment “The food will reach you only if you have a government of aam aadmi by the Congress in U.P”.
“So now this is the time to put an end to all these miseries. You can see the states Maharashtra, Haryana, Andhra Pradesh, Delhi or Kerala where Congress is in power. All are developing. We can change UP too. So stand up. Fight for a change” Rahul Gandhi asserted encouraging the gathering.
“I want the entire country look at Uttar Pradesh and marvel at the developments in the state. I dream for a day when the people from other states come to Uttar Pradesh for better jobs, education and health facilities,” he spoke to the cheering crowd.
“You have a government of aam aadmi at Delhi. Now let us bring such a government in UP too. Give Congress a chance. You will see the positive changes in U.P,” concluded Rahul Gandhi.