Zeenews Bureau
New Delhi: Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday promised to transform Uttar Pradesh completely from the alleged misrule of the BSP government and make it the number one state in five years.
Addressing a huge gathering of his delighted supporters in Barabanki, Rahul said, “I want to assure you that in five years we (Congress) will make UP the number one state in terms of industry, business and economic development.”
The young Congress leader, ridiculing the anti-people government of Chief Minister Mayawati, said, “You will see for yourself that Congress party will make a people’s government in Uttar Pradesh after the Assembly Elections in 2012.”
He made a scathing attack on the Mayawati government by alleging that it was embezzling funds meant for people’s welfare and development.
“Funds meant for development and people’s welfare does not reach the actual beneficiaries. The MNREGA fund released by the central government from time to time does not reach the aam admi. It is being guzzled by the middlemen. I want to ask the BSP government where this money goes, “he said asking, “Who are the real beneficiaries of this money?
“All previous non-Congress governments in Uttar Pradesh have failed to live up to the people’s expectation. The governments of Samajawadi Party, BJP and BSP have all failed this state. The successive governments in the past two decades have done nothing to alleviate people’s standard of living.”
Striking an emotional chord with his supporters, Rahul said, “Congress party’s derives its strength from the aam admi, who remains in the center of all our policies.”
Rahul informed his supporters that Congress government has taken several initiative aimed at improving the condition of people at the grass root level. “We have allocated Rs 6000 directly for weavers and waived loan up to Rs 3000, and we have done this not through the UP government because then you would not get it.”
Unfazed by criticism
from various quarters, Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi
stuck to his controversial remarks on people from Uttar
Pradesh begging in other states, terming it as an "unpleasant
truth".
He also
said when he makes a reference to begging it is opposed by
all but there is an urgent need to see this "kadvi sachchi"
(unpleasant truth).
The state has been left behind in development and people
of Uttar Pradesh will continue to go to other states in search
of employment, Gandhi said.
"Political leaders should pull down the glass windows
of their cars and look around. I do it", he said addressing a
political rally here.
"When I finds people begging on the streets of Delhi , I
pull down the windows of my car and ask them as to where
they belong to and get the answer that they belong to Uttar
Pradesh," he said.
The Congress leader said that leaders should ask
those who seek alms and they will know the reality of Uttar
Pradesh.
Rahul made these remarks after kicking off his five-day road show from Barabanki.
He will cover Barabanki, Bahraich, Balrampur, Shrawasti and Kushinagar in the first phase of his five-day tour. Rahul is expected to address rallies along the way before ending his roadshow at Kushinagar on November 26.
Rahul had sounded the Congress poll bugle at Phulpur in Allahabad on November 14 by slamming Mayawati-led state government. He termed the situation in the state as ‘mafia raj’ and stirred a controversy by saying that people from Uttar Pradesh are being forced to go and beg in Maharashtra.
Besides addressing public meetings, Rahul may also continue with his visits to Dalit homes.
His tour will surely further increase the political temperature which is already on an upswing after Chief Minister passed a bill the state assembly for division of Uttar Pradesh into four new states.
First Published: Tuesday, November 22, 2011, 09:31