‘Angry’ Rahul launches UP campaign calling Maya govt ‘insensitive,corrupt’

“There has been no progress in this state. I have been in politics for seven years. In these years,I have learnt the most from the people of Uttar Pradesh,” he said.

“Aapne mujhe yeh sikhaya ki jab tak neta ek garib ke ghar nahin jaata,tab tak woh uski majboori nahin samajh sakta. Jab tak uske gande kuen ka paani peekar uska pet nahin kharab ho jaata,tab tak use uski gareebi nahin samajh mein aati. Jab tak woh garib ke ghar mein nahin jaata,tab tak use gussa nahin aa sakta (You have taught me that unless a leader goes to houses of the poor,he can’t understand their plight. That unless he drinks water from their dirty wells and falls ill,he can’t understand their poverty. And that unless he visits them,he can’t feel anger.)”

Incidentally,Rahul’s recent remarks asking the people of UP whether they didn’t feel angry at their plight had provoked an angry reaction from Mayawati. She had asked why his blood didn’t boil over rising prices.

There could have been a time when “Mulayamji and Mayawatiji” felt that anger,Rahul said. “However,they are only after power now.”

The Congress scion asked the youth of the state to come forward to change their destiny and to realise their potential,asking the crowd how long that would take.

The people of UP impress wherever they go,Rahul said. “Punjab’s farmers say their work cannot be done without you. Same is the case with Maharashtra. Why can’t you do it in your state?… Kab tak Maharashtra men bheekh maangoge,kab tak Punjab men mazdoori karoge (How long will you continue begging in Maharashtra,working as labour in Punjab)?”

While the place and date of today’s rally — his great-grandfather Jawaharlal Nehru’s constituency and his birth anniversary — were thought to be significant,Rahul largely steered clear of the connection. He only said: “Uttar Pradesh has been going backwards. There was a time when a person like Pandit Nehru was the MP. Now mafia and criminals are representing the constituency.”

Bringing up the MGNREGS,Bundelkhand package,the controversial land acquisition Bill as well as Aligarh weavers’ problems,Rahul said the enormous amount of funds sanctioned for UP never reached the people.

While the Food Security Bill was the next legislation on the Centre’s agenda,Rahul added,its benefits too may not reach the people of UP.

Not sparing the SP,Rahul said that in their regime,goons sat in police stations and money was needed for everything,including getting an FIR registered.

“Even under the present regime,people cannot get FIRs lodged unless they greased the palms of police officials.

There is corruption everywhere. If you want to lodge an FIR,you have to pay money. If your daughter is raped and if you don’t have money,then you cannot lodge an FIR,” he said.

Rahul also handed over flags to 10 zonal incharges who would take the Congress’s “Jan Sampark Abhiyaan” forward over the next couple of months.

Present at the rally which was well attended were all Congress Central ministers and MPs,MLCs. Later,he went to Anand Bhawan in Allahabad and paid homage to Pandit Nehru.