Rahul Gandhi in Dumariyaganj (U.P), 25th Nov. 2011

Rahul Gandhi takes a dig at BJP in Dumariyaganj, U.P

On the fourth day of his tour to Uttar Pradesh Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi took a dig at BJP by questioning the ‘India Shining’ slogan during the 2004 Parliament elections. Addressing a huge gathering at Dumariyaganj in Uttar Pradesh as a part of his campaign in the state for the upcoming assembly elections he said that the BJP failed to note the problems of the people and claimed that India was shining.
“They brought the ‘India Shining’ slogan because their leaders do not go to people, do not mingle with them and do not share their meals. As a result they could not understand the poor state of affairs in the villages and thought that India was shining. Some senior leaders without trying to ascertain the actual situation; sitting inside TV studios and declared that India is shining. But that is not the truth. What is shining then? It was their houses, their vehicles that were shining but the poor people continued to struggle,” he added.
He categorically stated that that India cannot be shinning till the day there is no poor person in the country. He underlined that the Congress is committed to work for the poor, dalits, adivasis and underprivileged by stating the Congress slogan – a government of aam aadmi, a government for development.
Elaborating on MGNREGA the flagship programme of the UPA he said that the UPA Government brought in the biggest employment generation scheme called MGNREGA for the benefit of the poor. All the states welcomed this policy and implemented it at their places. You got to Andhra Pradesh or Kerala you can experience that. Expressing his concern about UP he remarked, “but you visit the villages in Uttar Pradesh and ask the people regarding MGNREGA. They would admit that they are not getting the job cards properly. Even if they get the job cards the pradhans keep those. The funds allotted under the scheme go to the pockets of ministers and authorities. People allege that the BSP leaders who had not even a single house now own many houses.”
Once again pointing fingers to Mayawati he said, “state Chief Minister says that there is no benefit by this scheme for the state of UP. She said that publically in Lucknow during a public meeting in 2007. She may feel that the people of UP do not require such a welfare policy because she does not go to people or bothers to listen to their problems. She sees the world from the helicopter. Then how can she understand your problems? The real beneficiaries of the MGNREGA scheme in UP are the ministers, contractors and authorities as the money sent by the centre go to their pockets.”