Firdaus Khan
Ambedkar Nagar (Uttar Pradesh). All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary Rahul Gandhi while addressing an election rally at Ambedkar Nagar as part of his ongoing campaign for the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections said that he goes to villages and mingle with the people to personally experience the difficulties being faced by them. “I want the mosquitoes to bite me like they bite you” he said.  
Questioning Samajwadi Party’s promises in its election manifesto Rahul Gandhi said, “Now Mulayam singh Ji promises free electricity. But is there any production house here for power generation?” and argued that such a promise is a false one. Further referring the promise of reservation for minority, the Congress General Secretary said “Mulayam Singh Ji was silent when we first talked about reservation. But when we decided to grant reservation for the minorities, he immediately commented that the percentage was inadequate. He was the Chief Minister in U.P thrice. Why did he not take any steps for reservation then? Without doing anything when he was in power, he now promises 18% reservation. But the Supreme Court had ordered that 18% reservation is not permissible. So what is the basis of his promise? In fact he is lying”.
In his highly interactive speech Rahul Gandhi told addressing the women audience “I want to remind my sisters here that he may again give you more promises. They may promise that they would help Bunkars and the people of Bundelkhand. If you ask them paint the blue sky with yellow, they would even agree for that”.
“I will not make hollow promises, but will promise you only one thing, a government of aam aadmi, like we did it at the Centre” he added stressing that he would not budge till the state's progress is in place.
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”.
“But BJP and NDA brought out a slogan in English ‘India Shining. When asked about the origin of the slogan 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, they did not ask the women about their issues, still believed blindly that India was shining.”
“I am reminding you the 2004 slogan because, I want to prove that the today’s leaders do not go to people or interact with them,” said the Congress General Secretary.
“What did we do? We came to you and asked about your difficulties. 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,” said Rahul Gandhi on UPA’s Mahatma Gandhi NREGA policy.
“Then we went to the farmers and asked about their problems. They told us that the doors of the banks are closed for them and many of them are being burdened with huge loans. The Centre took necessary measures to open the doors of the banks for the farmers and also framed a policy to waive off loan of the poor farmers worth Rs. 60000 crore. This was the biggest ever loan-waive off scheme,” informed Rahul Gandhi.
“When we were planning these polices what other parties – SP, BSP and BJP – were doing? Mayawati Ji said that there is no need of MNREGA in U.P. The BJP asked us from where we will have the money for the schemes”, he informed.
“Why do they behave like this? They do not come to you. You daily put in your hard work and develop the country. But nobody listens to you. But I am here to listen to your grievances. I know that the entire country is progressing because of your hard work,” asserted Rahul Gandhi.
He then asked a woman in the crowd her name and continued addressing the largely attended women audience “I want all of you to take part in the process of development and I will not leave this place till I assure the same,” said the Congress leader and the crowd acknowledged it with cheers. Referring to his visits to villages Rahul Gandhi added “I do go to the people and talk to them because I want to know more from them. I think I should increase my visits to spend more time with you”.
“Mayawati Ji feels that all is fine in Uttar Pradesh, because she does not know your problems. Did she come to you even once in the past five years? Did she ever take pain to visit your villages? But I come to you and I will continue to do so” said the Congress General Secretary.
“I feel angry that you trusted these parties, but they forgot you completely. Mayawati Ji became Chief Minister and forgot you. Same is the case with Mulayam Singh Yadav too”, he commented.
“I talk to every section of the people. I interact with farmers and labourers. I know that these people work hard, many a time with empty stomach. Most of them are not able to earn their daily bread. But your leaders do not realize this”, added Rahul Gandhi. “Now we are ready with the food security bill by which every pure is assured of 35kg of food grain. We earnestly wish that no one in our country lives in hunger,” informed Rahul Gandhi. He also reminded the PDS scam under when Mulayam Singh Yadav’s rule in U.P.
“SP talks a lot about minorities. But when Rasheed Masood raised this issue of reservation for minorities he was expelled” said Rahul Gandhi referring the expelled former SP leader Rasheed Masood who joined Congress.
On Bunkars relief package he said “Bunkars in U.P had approached me. They pleaded for assistance as they face a lot of difficulties. They informed that they had approached both SP and BSP but no one listened to them. They also shared that they are not able to secure loan from anywhere. We took them to the Prime Minister and the Centre approved a relief package for the Bunkars. We introduced a Bunkar credit card and also helped them to get loan upto two lac rupees”.
He then added “We had not made any promise to the Bunkars that I would help them. But when they came to me and conveyed their difficulties, we helped them. We will do whatever we can do for all sections of the society.  Where was Mayawati Ji or Mulayam Ji when poor Bunkars were crying for help?”
“Nothing is going to happen by just giving hollow promises,” said Rahul Gandhi and added “I am here to bring in positive changes in Uttar Pradesh. Elections will come and go, but I will remain here to hold your hands and support you to work for the development of the state”.
“You changed Andhra Pradesh and Delhi. Now change U.P too” he urged. “In U.P the successive governments cared for only 10% of the people and the rest 90% were ignored. What did the minorities, backward classes get in the past 22 years?” asked Rahul Gandhi.
 “We should now put an end to this bad state of affairs in U.P. So please stand up and change U.P. You have a government of aam aadmi at the Centre. Let us have a similar Government in Uttar Pradesh too. We need 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,” urged Rahul Gandhi.
“I am thankful for the warm love and affection extended to me. I believe that our country cannot develop if there is a single person living in poverty. Till the poverty is eradicated completely from this country, I will stand by you,” announced Rahul Gandhi concluding his speech.