Firdaus Khan
Bareilly (Uttar Prdesh). Congress General Secretary Shri Rahul Gandhi said on Tuesday that the non-Congress governments in Uttar Pradesh had looted the common people over the past twenty two years. "During the past seven years wherever I had gone, people in villages of Uttar Pradesh told me they had been looted by the state government," said Shri Gandhi.

Addressing an election rally in Bareilly, Shri Gandhi said that the biggest problem in UP was that its leaders did not reach out to the people. “They think they know everything whereas the truth is that the common man has more knowledge than the leaders. Have you ever seen Mayawati or Mulayam Singh in your village? Do they ever talk to you?” he asked the large gathering who had come to hear him.

Shri Gandhi said that Bareilly was known for its Zari work but the SP and BSP governments have not done anything to promote the industry over the years. "These leaders promise to do everything but do not do anything. You need a bridge in Sirauli but your demand is pending since the past 20 years,” he said.

Shri Gandhi said that the Congress launched MNREGA for the people so that everyone could get employment. The Congress brought the loan waiver scheme worth Rs 60,000 for farmers and then for the weavers the Congress Party brought a loan waiver scheme, gave them subsidy on thread and also a weaver credit card, apart from easy loan.

Shri Gandhi said that now that the elections are on, the Samajwadi Party is promising free electricity and Mulayam Singh Yadav is claiming that he will turn Bundelkhand into Israel. He has been chief minister thrice, why did he not do this then, asked Shri Gandhi.

Shri Gandhi said that when the people of Bundelkhand came to him during the drought, the Prime minister immediately gave them a package but the money did not reach them because the "magic" elephant in Lucknow swallowed it all.
He said that people from UP go to other states like Maharashtra, Delhi and Haryana and work there. They develop those states with their work because they do not get work in UP.

Shri Gandhi pointed out that the Congress government at the centre has given MNREGA, package for Bundelkhand and another package for weavers under which they will get subsidized thread, weavers’ credit card, and a loan up to Rs. two lakhs.

He said that the Congress was now preparing to give right to food under which every poor family will get 35 kgs of food grains every month. “We will send the money for this scheme but it will not reach you because the magic elephant in Lucknow will swallow it up,” he said.

Shri Gandhi said that the Congress could run the centre but not the state government. "Our job is to send money for development but the money does not reach you because of the "magic" elephant in Lucknow which gobbles up all central funds", said Shri Gandhi.
He said that Mayawati had removed 22 ministers on charges of corruption. Her ministers like Babu Singh Kushwaha and Naseemuddin Siddiqui  looted the state for five years-- this money did not belong to the Prime Minister or Sonia Gandhi or the state government. It belonged to the common man.

He said that Mulayam Singh Yadav claims to be a leader of Muslims but he has done nothing for the minorities while he was chief minister of Uttar Pradesh on three occasions. On the other hand, the Congress party set up the Sachchar committee and implemented its recommendations.  The centre sent money for scholarships of children in minority communities but the money went missing in UP even though it reached the minorities in Kerala, Assam and Andhra Pradesh.

Similarly, Shri Gandhi said, that when the Congress Party gave 4.5 per cent reservation to backward Muslims, Mulayam Singh and Mayawati were critical. Mulayam Singh termed it as insufficient but why did he not provide for similar reservation when he was chief minister. Mayawati said she had written a letter to Prime Minister but she is chief minister and could have announced reservation in Uttar Pradesh.
The Congress General Secretary promised the large gathering that he would stand by the people of UP until they began to change the state. Shri Gandhi said he would not make any tall promises, but he would not leave Uttar Pradesh before the state began to change.
Shri Rahul Gandhi asked the people to give the Congress Party five years and see what changes the Congress Party brings to the state.