Rahul slams Mayawati for 'misusing' Central funds
Ambedkar Nagar (UP), April 14, 2010
First Published: 16:35 IST(14/4/2010)
Last Updated: 19:02 IST(14/4/2010)
The Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday made deep
forays into the Bahujan Samaj Party's bastion - attacking the Mayawati
government -calling it anti-Dalit and charging it with pilferage of
central funds and not taking care of the poor.
Rahul was in Ambedkar Nagar to flag off the Congress' ten-yatras to
mark its 125 years. But an aggressive Rahul used the occasion to
target the Dalit, the poor and the youth. As he attacked the Mayawati
government the crowd including those hanging on the poles or standing
out of the ground went euphoric.
So, Rahul focused his attacks mostly on the Mayawati government all
through his address before a large crowd that continued to swell
despite the scorching sun at the airstrip grounds. BSP leaders also
held a demonstration against UPA government at a close distance of
(about 300 metres) focus remained only on Congress' yatras. The BSP
leaders blamed the Congress for condition of Dalits.
Rahul began to speak only after garlanding the pictures of Mahatama
Gandhi and the BSP ideologue BR Ambedkar on the dais. This was
probably Rahul's way of giving a befitting reply to the district
administration that had not allowed the garlanding of Ambedkar's
statue at the venue where the BSP leaders including three ministers
held demonstration.
Rahul gave a categorical message that he would continue his focus on
Uttar Pradesh until he accomplishes the objective of bringing Congress
back to power in Uttar Pradesh- changing the political landscape here
and bringing development to the state.
"We were slow but steady as we began our work in UP. They used to
laugh at us. Even newspapers did not make the right projections. They
were surprised to see our performance in the Lok Sabha elections,"
said Rahul.
Rahul said the BSP government was not taking care of the welfare the
poor despite the claims that the BSP government of the poor. "We send
thousands of crore to Uttar Pradesh. These funds do reach Lucknow but
do not reach Ambedkar Nagar or other districts," said Rahul. But when
Rahul said he was not aware here these funds were going the crowd
shouted "for making garlands."
But Rahul continued and said there was no shortage of funds in the
country. "But how to benefit the poor," asked Rahul. "We have
formulated a number of major schemes for the people's welfare. The
Mahatama Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) is
the biggest employment scheme in the world. But this scheme is nowhere
to be seen at the ground level here in Uttar Pradesh," said Rahul.
"When I go to village and ask people how many of them want jobs. More
than half of the villagers raise their hands. But when I ask how many
of them have job cards? No one raises hands," said Rahul. "These job
cards remain with village pradhans and do not reach the villagers,"
said Rahul.
The BSP government was not interested in implementing the MNREGA in
the state, he said. "When we tell the BSP government to implement the
scheme the state government tells us that the scheme is not beneficial
for the poor," said Rahul. "We have given a package to Bundelkhand.
But there is nothing on the ground," he said.
Rahul said the UPA government had given important tools like the
MNREGA, the Right to Information Act and the Right to Education Act to
the State Government. But the State government was not using these
tools for the benefit of the people, he said.
Rahul also attacked the Mayawati government for not implementing the
Right to Education Act. "The poor want education for their children.
They want their children to learn English," said Rahul, adding, "But
the State Government tells us that there is no need for education,
health or development in the state."
Dwelling at length during the policies followed during the
non-Congress regimes in the state Rahul said the political parties
first resorted to the politics of religion and then to the politics of
caste.
"The communal and caste politics has failed in Uttar Pradesh. Now we
have to take a way out to give jobs to the youth and bring the state
on the path of development," said Rahul.
"We will have to resort to the politics of the youth to give them
jobs," said Rahul. Some youths in the crowd tried to show black flags
to Rahul. But the Congressmen attacked them and pushed them out of the
ground.
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