Firdaus Khan
Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh). All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary Rahul Gandhi has said that blind promises cannot bring in development in UP.  “I am here not to give promises. If you want only promises, then go to BJP, SP or BSP. Come to me only if you want development; come to me only if you want a change in Uttar Pradesh,” said Rahul Gandhi while addressing a mammoth election rally at Lucknow.

“For the past 22 years, Congress did not have a significant presence in the state. But now we have come back strongly. The process for this had started in 2009 and now in 2012, we are fighting for a win. This fight is for your future and the future of the youth,” said Rahul Gandhi, boosting the confidence of the Congress supporters.

“For the past 22 years, many parties ruled the state. But nothing happened. BJP came to the power seeking your votes in the name of Lord Ram. You supported it but got nothing in return. The SP and BSP came to you and sought your support in the name of caste. You trusted their words and allowed them to rule the state. But the reality is that your state slipped back due to the misrule of these parties in the past 22 years,” said the Congress General Secretary.

Rahul Gandhi asked why the people from UP are forced to go to other cities for jobs. “People of Lucknow go to Maharashtra or Delhi. The shining metro in Delhi was made by the people of U.P. Delhi changes every six months and only you make it possible. Your people work in Haryana and Punjab. Wherever you go you can see the people from UP there. All these states are developing but U.P remains the same,” he added.

“Workers from Uttar Pradesh have made the Delhi Metro in which they or their children cannot afford to travel. The workers work day and night, fall sick, recover, work again but finally succumb to bad health. This is the way labourers from Uttar Pradesh are surviving in other places as there is no work for them here in U.P,” he said.

“Our country is progressing fast and the entire world appreciates it. Even America is surprised to watch the tremendous growth of our nation. While we experience fast development in other states, we witness a fast deterioration in Uttar Pradesh. Uttar Pradesh has gone back with the same pace as the speed with which the rest of the country has developed in all these years,” said Rahul Gandhi.

“Big leaders here have everything, but nothing for the common man. The poor people here are putting in their hard work, sometimes on an empty stomach, and helping in developing the country. But the state Government is not bothered about their problems. Here your leaders do not go the people, talk to them, hold their hands or try to gather knowledge from them,” he pointed out.

“Did Mayawati come to you in the past five years? Has she ever visited this narrow lane of Lucknow in these years? How can she talk about development?” he asked.

“But these leaders come to you during elections with a list of promises. They will promise electricity, water, jobs and unemployment allowance, if they cannot provide you with jobs. I have such a list in my hand too,” said Rahul Gandhi showing a list to the crowd. He tore it in front of the people and threw it away with a comment, “Throw away these blind promises like this”.

“We (Congress) also run Governments. You go to Kerala, Maharashtra, Delhi, Assam or Haryana and see what development means,” claimed Rahul Gandhi.
“A state cannot run on hollow promises. Some leaders think that they can come to you during elections, give blind promises, come to power and make money by looting your funds. They do not think about your children and their future. You wasted 22 years like this,” reminded Rahul Gandhi.

“Mulayam Singh Ji promises that he would convert Bundelkhand to Israel. But the people of Bundelkhand do not want Israel, they want their Bundelkhand back. The people of U.P want their U.P back. Lucknow’s people want their Lucknow back,” said Rahul Gandhi, taking a dig at SP President Mulayam Singh Yadav.

Referring to the 2004 Lok Sabha elections, Rahul Gandhi said, “During 2004 Parliament Elections, Congress talked about aam aadmi but BJP was talking about “India shining”. We went to the people, talked to them. When they informed us that no sufficient jobs are available in villages, we introduced Mahatma Gandhi NREGA to guarantee 100 days of job to every poor at a daily wage of Rs. 120”.

Taking a jab at the BJP, Rahul Gandhi said, “BJP and NDA came out with a slogan in English – India Shining. They were in power for five years. But they did not go to people, farmers, labourers, talked to them or enquired about their problems still they believed blindly that India was shining. No part of India was shining then. Was Lucknow shining then?” asked Rahul Gandhi.

“When media persons asked BJP about the origin of the slogan, their senior leader, who undertook a yatra against corruption, said that it was picked up from a TV advertisement, ” he said and added, “This leader did not see the rampant corruption in Karnataka, Uttarakhand or Madhya Pradesh when he was travelling across the country”.

“But Congress delivered its promise and formed a Government of aam aadmi. We gave you MNREGA, right to food and several other welfare schemes. We sent crores of rupees to U.P and Lucknow. But that did not reach you. This money is yours. It is you who develop this country with your blood and sweat,” asserted Rahul Gandhi.

“The youth in this state has the strength. They should stand up. Change Uttar Pradesh, change your Lucknow. Support Congress and elect all our candidates”.

“You have a Government in Delhi. We are ready to extend all possible help to you. Now free your arms and help Congress to form a Government in Uttar Pradesh,” concluded Rahul Gandhi.