Firdaus Khan
Bulandshahar (Uttar Pradesh). Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi while addressing a mammoth election rally in Bulandshahar in Uttar Pradesh struck an emotional chord with the youth on Tuesday. “I am very happy to see the youth in large numbers here,” said Rahul Gandhi starting his address.
He asked the youth, “You have been experiencing the rule of different parties – BJP, BSP and SP - in the state for the past 22 years. Are you happy with them?" The crowd responded loudly with a ‘no’. Rahul Gandhi then asked a youth his age. When he replied ‘20 years’, the Congress General Secretary quickly commented, “These parties wasted your entire life. They wasted 22 long years of Uttar Pradesh”.
“You go to Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Delhi, Haryana or Assam. All these states are developing fast. The entire country has been progressing. The entire world is surprised to see the growth of our nation. But while the entire country is surging ahead, our Uttar Pradesh is slipping back. For the past 22 years, this state remains the same,” he pointed out.
Rahul Gandhi continued, “The youth from Uttar Pradesh go to Maharashtra, Delhi and Haryana and work there leaving behind their family in Uttar Pradesh. All these states have been developing because of your blood and sweat. You are putting in your hard work in Delhi, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana and Maharashtra. The people in Uttar Pradesh have very strong hands. The entire country is progressing because of you. Those hands are tied in U.P. Now, UP needs your hands. For the past 22 years you got only promises and nothing changed here. We should change this”.
Repeating that non-Congress parties did nothing except giving tall promises, the Congress General Secretary said, “During every election these parties – BSP, SP and BJP - came to you with a list of promises. For the past 22 years you have been hearing only promises. They promise free electricity, water and jobs. But after coming to the power, they just sit in Lucknow, build big walls around their houses and forget the people”
Rahul Gandhi said that Congress is different from these parties and added, “See the difference between Congress and other parties. We win elections, perform our duty properly, then face polls and people elect us again”.
“The states like Haryana, Delhi and Assam witnessed developments after elections. But in U.P there have been no positive changes in the past 22 years. You are forced to migrate to other cities like Maharashtra and Delhi for jobs. This is the question of your future. This is the question of the future of the youth here. Will you continue going to other places like this? Don’t you have the right to work in your own state?” Rahul Gandhi asked.
“Even people from other parts of the world come to India for jobs. The flights from America to India are always crowded. Even the people from America come to India for jobs as there are no sufficient jobs available in America. But in Uttar Pradesh, no jobs are available for the youth. This is mainly because of the magic elephant in Lucknow, which eats up the funds meant for the poor," he added.
Referring to the Land-acquisition Bill, Rahul Gandhi said, “When we introduced the land acquisition bill in the Parliament, the opposition parties like BJP, SP and BSP are trying to block the same. But Congress will ensure the passage of the Bill”.
“When we went to the people they told us that they are not having sufficient food to survive. The Centre, therefore, is now ready with the Food Security Bill by which every poor family is assured with 35Kg of food grain every month. Mayawati Ji and Mulayam Ji say that this is a drama. Is sending food grains for the poor a drama? We are sending huge funds to Uttar Pradesh under various schemes. Is it a drama?" Rahul Gandhi asked.
“Some of the Muslim brothers had told me that though there are more than 70 districts in the state, there is only one Muslim DM. When Manmohan Singh Ji granted reservation to the Muslims, Mulayam Singh Ji says that it is not sufficient. He was the Chief Minister in UP thrice. Why did not he do anything then? When media persons had asked Mulayam Ji about his stand on reservation, he did not utter any word. But when Congress went ahead with reservation, he complains that it is inadequate,” said the Congress leader, questioning the double standard of SP Chief Mulayam Singh Yadav on the issue of Muslim reservation.
He again went on to say, “In 2009, Mulayam Singh Ji embraced Kalyan Singh. Mulayam considers himself as a leader of Muslims, but when he joined hands with Kalyan Singh ahead of the 2009 elections, he did not remember the Muslims”.
Taking a dig at Mulayam Singh again, the Congress General Secretary said sarcastically, “This is election time. You please go to Mulayam Singh Yadav and ask him to paint the blue sky with green. He will immediately agree for that too”.
“I am here not to shower promises. You will see Rahul Gandhi amongst the farmers, workers and poor in the villages, Tappal and Bhatta-Parsaul till development is visible in U.P. I will not leave this place till the state of U.P stands on its own feet and the youth start getting jobs here. Some leaders say that Rahul Gandhi is enacting a drama by going to the people. I like this drama very much and I will continue this throughout my life,” he declared.
“I am here to fight for you and my fight is to transform Uttar Pradesh. People with noble intention never make promises,” he asserted.
“Support Congress and elect our candidates; Bring in a Congress Government in Lucknow. Let us form a Government of the youth,” concluded Rahul Gandhi.