Firdaus Khan
Unnao (Uttar Pradesh). While addressing an election rally at Unnao as part of his campaign for the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi questioned Mulayam Singh Yadav for his party’s promise to give free computers to the students. “Mulayam Singh Ji was saying that the people of U.P do not need Computers. But now he promises free computers to the students. Lots of such promises are being made during elections” said Rahul Gandhi.
The Congress General Secretary reiterated that he has come not to deliver lectures but to bring in positive changes in Uttar Pradesh. Rahul Gandhi said that the 22 years misrule by the non-Congress Governments in UP put brake on the process of development and dragged the state backwards.
Referring 2004 Parliament elections Rahul Gandhi reminded “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” and added “We want every citizen, people from every caste, creed and religion, to be a part in the process of development”.
On BJP’s ‘India shining’ slogan he said, “BJP and NDA brought out a slogan in English ‘India Shining. When asked about the origin of the slogan by the press persons their senior leader said that they picked it from a television advertisement. They were in power for five years. But they did not go to people, talked to them or enquired about their problems, still believed blindly that India was shining.”
“Mayawati was the Chief Minister for the past five years in U.P” said Rahul Gandhi and then asked a volley of questions “Did she come to you even once? Did Mulayam Ji ever come to you? Did Mayawati Ji or Mulayam Ji go to Bhatta-Parsaul when farmers and women were assaulted? Did they visit drought-hit Bundelkhand?” The big crowd responded to every question with roaring no.
“What did we do? We came to you and asked about your problems. You had told us that there are no sufficient jobs available in the villages. The people are forced to migrate to big cities for jobs. 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. 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 on UPA’s Mahatma Gandhi NREGA policy.
“Why did we make such policies?” he asked and continued “Because we know that the country is developing because of the sweat and blood of the poor farmers and labourers including the women. We want to ensure their involvement in the development,” said Rahul Gandhi. “We just do one thing. We ensure that the money we received from you reaches back to you”.
“You had informed that there are people who do not have enough food to live. We, therefore, are ready with Food Security Bill and it is before the Parliament now. Every poor is assured of 35 kg of food grain. We realize your strength as well as your problems,” informed Rahul Gandhi.
“When elections are around, parties come to you with heap of promises. They may also promise that they would green the entire sky. But after elections they forget you. Last time Mayawati Ji had promised a lot, but she closed her doors after the elections. NDA also made a number of promises, but forgot later. Same is the case with SP too. This has been happening for the past 22 in Uttar Pradesh” argued Rahul Gandhi.
“We can get tremendous knowledge from common man. But if you want to gather the same you should go to them. But here in Uttar Pradesh, for the past 22 years, no leaders from SP, BSP or BJP go to the people. The state is crushed between Cycle and Elephant” he said.
“When we brought policies like MNREGA and waiving off loans for the benefit of the poor farmers, Mayawati Ji called it a drama. When I go to villages and interact with the poor people Mayawati Ji, Mulayam Ji and the leaders of NDA term it as a drama. If this is a drama, I would like to tell them that I am going to continue with this drama through out my life” declared Rahul Gandhi and the crowd acknowledged it with applauds.
“Till you realize the real strength in the villages the state cannot develop. Till the leaders go to the people and enquire about their issues, U.P won’t surge ahead” he asserted.
“Your people go to Maharashtra, Delhi, even Ladakh and contribute for development there. You can see that while the states ruled by the Congress - Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Haryana, Delhi, Kerala, Assam, Manipur - are surging ahead, Uttar Pradesh slips backwards. For the past 22 years the successive Governments blocked the path of progress in the state,” said Rahul Gandhi.
“We send thousands of crores of rupees for the development in Uttar Pradesh. But entire funds are being gobbled up by Mayawati Ji’s elephant in Lucknow.  This magic elephant eats up poor people’s money instead of leaves and grass,” said the Congress General Secretary amidst cheers from the crowd. Rahul Gandhi also said that the funds sent as per the recommendations of the Sachar Commission report also did not reach the deserved section of the society.
Taking on SP he said “Now Cycle promises development. It promises free electricity. Three times SP was in power. There was no sufficient electricity during its regime”. “We want people to learn English also along with Hindi, Urdu or any other languages. We want them to learn computers too for a better career. But Mulayam Ji was saying that the people of U.P do not require computer or English. But his son knows both”, said Rahul Gandhi. “But Mulayam Ji has now changed his stance and promises computers freely for the students” he added.
“The governments in the past 22 years ruined the state of Uttar Pradesh with their caste or religion based politics. They worked only for the 10% of the people and the rest 90% were ignored. But we believe that the entire people to take part in the process of development.” said Rahul Gandhi.
“Congress promises only one thing, a government that works for all sections of the people. We do not make hollow promises as our intention is pure” he said..
“When we first talked about the reservation for the minorities, Mayawati Ji wrote to the PM seeking for reservation. What was she doing in the last five years? Mulayam Ji was silent on this issue. But when he realized that the Congress is determined to move ahead with the policy of granting reservation for the minorities, he complained that it is inadequate. What was he doing when he was the Chief Minister thrice?” asked Rahul Gandhi.
“Now time has come to change the bad state of affairs in Uttar Pradesh. You go to other places and bring in positive changes there. Now let us change U.P too. You witnessed the rampant corruption in the NRHM policy in U.P with the involvement of ministers. We want to put an end to this. The moment you have a Government of aam aadmi, the moment your leaders start coming to you and the moment the funds sent by the Centre start reaching you, the state will start progressing. We assure you that a Congress Government will bring in development here. You gave 22 years to others. Now please give five years to Congress. I am sure, in the next elections after five years, you will again vote for Congress appreciating the good works done by us” he claimed.
“I am here not for elections. I will not leave this place till you have a Government of aam aadmi. Till the day the voice of the aam aadmi, poor and women are heard, till the day your children get proper education, I will not move out from here” repeated Rahul Gandhi.  
“This is not the question of future of BSP or SP, but it is your future. U.P needs a government that works for all caste, religion, aam aadmi, poor, minorities, dalits and adivasis and only Congress can provide it. The moment you have a Congress Government in Uttar Pradesh, you will start witnessing developments again. Support Congress and elect our candidates,” concluded Rahul Gandhi.