Firdaus Khan
Mau (Uttar Pradesh). On the last 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 state of Uttar Pradesh is caught between magic elephant which eats the poor people’s funds in one side and the punctured cycle at the other end. He said that the state of U.P slipped backward during the 22 years misrule by the non-Congress parties. Addressing a mammoth rally at Mau in Uttar Pradesh the Congress General Secretary added that Uttar Pradesh needs a government that works for all caste, religion, aam aadmi, poor, minorities, labourers, farmers, 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”. Rahul Gandhi said that people with good intention do not make heap of promises.
“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. “India cannot shine without proper roads, sufficient electricity, enough water and proper jobs” said Rahul Gandhi.
“How did we understand your problems? We came to know about your issues not from TV or from news papers but from the people directly. We came to you and asked you about your difficulties. You told us 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 MGNREGA poor are assured of a minimum of 100 days jobs in a year and a daily wage of Rs 120. Thus we send Rs. 12000/- per person” 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. So this money belongs to you and we want this money to reach back to you for your welfare,” said Rahul Gandhi amidst applauds.
Taking a dig at Mayawati he continued, “Your Chief Minister Mayawati Ji says that there is no benefit for the people of U.P by the NREGA policy. She said that even during a public meeting. You please ask people in Kerala, Maharashtra, Haryana, Delhi or Assam. Everyone will vouch for the benefit of the NREGA policy.”
Rahul Gandhi said that the present political leaders in UP do not go to the people, share their meals or talk to them. So how can they understand your pain?” asked the Congress leader.
“I go to the people, share their meal and enquire about their problems. I went to the Weavers and farmers. We are now talking about the bunkars package sanctioned by the Centre. We did not do any great thing but did only one thing. We came to you and listened to your grievances. Bunkars came to me and requested help to mitigate their difficulties. They also told me that the state Government or Chief Minister is not listening to them. We approached the Prime Minister and our Honourable Prime Minister did not take even two minutes to sanction the relief package for the bunkars. Our intention is clear” said Rahul Gandhi amidst huge applauds. He also mentioned about the benefits for the Bunkars by way of subsidies, credit card and the waiving-off loans.
“One youth, Faizan, who also is a weaver came to me and requested not to distribute the funds through the state Government run societies as they feared that the amount would not reach them” said Rahul Gandhi and then informed “We therefore redrafted the policy so that the funds will go directly to the person’s account”.
Referring the misuse of Central funds 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 magic elephant in Lucknow eats poor people’s money instead of grass and leaves.”
“We can understand the real issues only if we go to the people and talk to them” argued Rahul Gandhi. “When I go to the people, share their meals, drink water from their well and sleep in the villages some political leaders laugh at me and say that Rahul Gandhi has gone mad. Some leaders say that this is a drama of Rahul Gandhi. No problem, if they consider this a drama, Rahul Gandhi will continue to do so his entire life” declared Rahul Gandhi and the crowd acknowledged it with huge applauds.
“There is only one drama in Uttar Pradesh. And that is the drama of the magic elephant that eats the entire funds meant for the poor. During my visits one local person Hari Sankar came to me and said that the magic elephant eats not only money but lands of poor farmers too”, said the Congress General Secretary. “Now we will never let this drama to continue” he warned.
“We gave you the right to information, right to education, right to job and now we are planning to bring the right to food. Every family is assured of 35 kg of food grains by this policy. We want that no one in this country goes to sleep without food. But the NDA and Mayawati Ji have questioned the scheme asking again from where the money would come.” said Rahul Gandhi.
“I happened to see the slogan of SP on the road side ‘Cycle of trust’. You voted for Cycle for three times. But it punctured your future. It promised development but the goons were running the police stations. It was a complete goondaraj under its regime. There was no electricity, water or jobs. They talk about minorities but did not do anything for them. Mulayam Singh Ji says that there is no need of Computers and English for the poor. He fears that the poor will surge ahead if they acquire the knowledge of computers and English. How can you trust such parties again?” he argued.
Referring SP Rahul Gandhi informed “In 2009, SP approached us with a proposal for alliance for the Lok Sabha polls. They had offered 5 seats. We refused for any alliance and told them that we are here to work for the poor and common man. We won 22 seats because our intention was clear. We did not join hands with Kalyan Singh who was responsible for the demolition of Babri Masjid”. “We deliver what we promise” asserted the Congress General Secretary.
Criticising the stance of Mulayam Singh Yadav on Sachhar Committee recommendations Rahul Gandhi said “When the Sachhar Committee recommended reservation for the minorities we decided to implement the same. But Mulayam Sibgh Ji criticized us. He told that they would have given 18% reservation. SP was in power for three times. Why did not they implement the reservation before? Why the promise of reservation is not there in its election manifesto?” asked Rahul Gandhi and added “They will not do so because their intention is not clear”.
“We should think about changing the bad state of affairs in UP. You have the strength in you and you have the knowledge. Only you can bring in changes here. Your people go to Maharashtra, Delhi, Haryana and Punjab and contribute for development there. When entire Delhi sleeps your people work overnight. But you are not able to do anything here. 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. “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 and the people of Bundelkhand; we are ready to help all the people. I am here not for elections but to bring in positive changes in U.P. Come whatever may, I will not leave the place till I transform U.P. We are talking about your rights. Give Congress a chance. Let us fight together for better development in the state” concluded Rahul Gandhi.
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