Firdaus Khan
Ramabai Nagar (Uttar Pradesh). All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary Rahul Gandhi while addressing a mammoth election rally at Ramabai Nagar on Saturday said that he respects the people of Uttar Pradesh and therefore will not make any hollow promises. He also said that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress President Sonia Gandhi and he himself dream about a developed Uttar Pradesh.

“The youth in Uttar Pradesh are forced to go to other cities because there are no jobs available in U.P. All of them have a dream to come back and work in their home state. They dream about a developed U.P. Manmohan Singh Ji, Sonia Ji and Rahul Gandhi also dream the same,” said Rahul Gandhi.

Expressing his concern over the bad state of affairs in U.P, Rahul Gandhi said, “This is election time in Uttar Pradesh. Normally elections bring in changes at every place. You see the development that took place in Haryana when Congress came to power after the elections. In U.P too, we have been experiencing elections for the past 22 years. You expected development in U.P after every election. But it still remains the same without any development”.

“During every election these parties came to you with lots of promises. But please tell me what did you get in the past 22 years? What changes did you observe during this period? I visit various places in U.P and I could not feel any changes. You please tell me if you noticed anything” he asked and the crowd roared, ‘Nothing’.
“Did you get proper electricity, water or education for your children?” he asked. The crowd responded again with a loud ‘no’.

“For the past 22 years you have been hearing only promises. After coming to power they roam around in luxurious vehicles and loot the public money,” said Rahul Gandhi.

“We too run a Government at the Centre, from 2004. We had not showered promises but assured only one thing – a government of aam aadmi that works for poor, farmers, minorities, women, dalits and adivasis. We had told you that our Government will come to you, hear your problems and will support all sections of the people and we delivered it,” said the Congress General Secretary.

Taking a jab at the BJP, he continued, “But BJP and NDA brought out a slogan in English – India Shining. When the media persons asked BJP about the origin of the slogan, its senior leader said that it was picked up from an advertisement in TV. They were in power for five years. But they did not go to people, farmers, laboureres, talked to them or enquired about their problems. They did not ask the women about their issues, still believed blindly that India was shining,” said Rahul Gandhi.

“You may be thinking why Rahul Gandhi talks about the matters pertaining to 2004 now in 2012. I just want to remind you that there should be proper thought before doing anything. There was no electricity, adequate food, proper education but they did not feel any shame to declare that India was shining. They won’t come to you, hold your hands, talk to farmers, workers and women, but will say that India is shining,” he added.

“But what is the truth?” he asked and continued, “If India has developed, that is because of the farmers, women and workers in the country. It is because of their blood and sweat India progressed. The country went ahead because of the children of the women here who went to other states and put in their hard work. Your people go to Maharashtra and construct big buildings there. Mumbai developed because of you. But they face threat from the Shiv Sena. The Metro in Delhi was built by the people of Uttar Pradesh, but they can’t afford to travel by it. When entire Delhi sleeps, the people of Uttar Pradesh work there overnight. I could meet people from U.P even in snow-filled Ladakh where they are working under severe cold without proper winter dresses”.

“I am here not to make any promise. You have reposed faith in me and I respect that. I respect your knowledge as well as your strength. These parties (BJP, SP and BSP) come to you and make hollow promises because they have no respect for you,” argued Rahul Gandhi.

Referring to the poll promise of the SP, he said, “Mulayam Singh Yadav now promises free electricity in the entire U.P. He was the Chief Minister thrice. I still remember the complaint of the people of Amethi that they got hefty bills though there was no electricity available. There is no power house built in the past 22 years and so how can he provide free electricity? “Will it fall from the sky?”

“They wasted your 22 long years but keep making promises. Mulayam Singh Ji also promises that he would convert Bundelkhand to Israel. No one in Bundelkhand wants Israel. They need their Bundelkhand back. They want electricity, water and sufficient food. But he talks about Israel,” asserted the Congress General Secretary.

“They behave like this because they do not come to you and understand your problems. Did Mayawati come to you in the past five years? Did Mulayam do so?" asked Rahul Gandhi.
“They will not do so. They just think that they can fool you by just showering promises on you during elections. We should not let this continue further,” reminded Rahul Gandhi.

“There is a Congress Government at the Centre. In 2004, we came to you and enquired about your difficulties, you told us that there are no jobs available in villages. That is how Mahatma Gandhi NREGA came into existence. Every poor is guaranteed with hundred days of job at a daily wage of Rs. 120,” said Rahul Gandhi. “This scheme is not meant for any particular caste or religion, but for the entire poor,” he added.

“We realize the strength of the farmers as well as their pain. We are aware of their hard work. So we went to them. They informed us that the doors of the banks are closed for them and also that they carry the burden of heavy debts. We therefore approved a relief package worth Rs. 60000 crore for them and opened the doors of the banks for the farmers,” said Rahul Gandhi referring to the relief package for the farmers.

“It is the people who give us ideas, we just implement it. But we should go to the people. Your leaders think that they are the epitome of knowledge. They think that the people know nothing. But I think just opposite. Even the professors in America and England could not teach me what I learnt from the people of this country in the past seven years,” he told to the cheering crowd.
“The workers, farmers, women and aam aadmi show me the way. They know much more than even the officials of the Planning commission,” added Rahul Gandhi.

“When I go to the villages and mingle with the people, some leaders term it as a drama by Rahul Gandhi. Rahul Gandhi does so to realize the strength of the people. If this is a dram for them, I am going to continue this till the last,” he declared.

“The problem in U.P is that there is no government of the people of U.P. Here the Government works for a particular caste which represents only 10% of the population. The rest 90% are ignored. We want a government which works for 100% of the people and only Congress can do it,” asserted Rahul Gandhi.

“What did the dalits and people from backward classes get in the past 22 years? All Congress-ruled states are developing fast. States like Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana and Delhi are surging ahead. But U.P slips back. We should change this,” he urged.

“What did the Muslims get in the past 22 years? It was the Congress-led Government at the Centre which implemented the Sachar Commission’s recommendations. But the money sent to U.P did not reach the people,” he said.

“Mulayam Singh Yadav was the Chief Minister for three terms. Mayawati is your Chief Minister now. None of them talked about reservation for the Muslims. When the press persons asked Mulayam Singh Yadav about his opinion about reservation, he did not utter a word. But when the Congress granted the reservation, Mulayam Ji says that it is inadequate. What was he doing when he was in power?" Rahul Gandhi asked.

Encouraging the Congress workers, Rahul Gandhi said, “These parties think that the people in U.P will just swallow their promises and will support them. They think that people have no knowledge. But this will not repeat this time because Congress has come back strongly. When Congress stands up, that marks the end of BJP, SP and BSP. You must have noticed all these parties – BJP, SP and BSP- attack only the Congress party. BJP does not attack SP or BSP but lashes out at Congress. SP does not say anything against BSP or BJP but flays Congress. SP too does not talk about BJP or BSP but slams Congress. This clearly shows that they are all now worried to see the upsurge of Congress in Uttar Pradesh. They are afraid that Congress would finish them”.

Rahul Gandhi informed that during 2009 Parliament elections the SP had approached Congress for alliance. “But we refused it. We told them that we won’t ally with anybody other than the people of Uttar Pradesh. Congress had fought the elections alone, but Mulayam Singh joined hands with Kalyan Singh. But the people gave us more seats than him. It was because we had allied with the people of Uttar Pradesh,” said Rahul Gandhi.

He then reiterated “I just want to tell you one thing. I will not leave this state till U.P stands on its own feet. You will see Rahul Gandhi amongst the farmers, workers and poor people till development starts in U.P. I want the voice of the people to reach Lucknow and Delhi and I will do it”.

“The moment your voice start reaching Lucknow, development will start in U.P. Then no one can stop you from surging ahead, even god. You have the strength and knowledge. You can show the path to the entire world. You can definitely bring in changes and I am sure you will do so. Just trust yourself and think about transforming U.P,” concluded Rahul Gandhi.