Uttar Pradesh misusing central funds: Rahul Gandhi

Uttar Pradesh misusing central funds: Rahul Gandhi



LUCKNOW: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday reiterated that the central government's funds for development of Uttar Pradesh were being misused by the Mayawati government and, if voted to power, his party would make the state "number one" in the country.


Rahul on Tuesday embarked upon a mass contact programme ahead of the state assembly polls early next year.


"The poor in the state are not getting the benefits of funds being released for them and the development of Uttar Pradesh. It's because the state government is not bothered about the development of Uttar Pradesh and the poor and downtrodden," Gandhi told a gathering in Barabanki, some 30 km from Lucknow.


"If the Congress forms the government in Uttar Pradesh, we assure in 10 years Uttar Pradesh will get to acquire the number one position among all the states in the country," added Gandhi.

Rahul Gandhi takes on Maya, says UP being ruled by mafia

Rahul Gandhi takes on Maya, says UP being ruled by 'mafia'


Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday launched his party's election campaign in Uttar Pradesh by attacking the Mayawati-led BSP government, saying it is corrupt, has siphoned-off central funds and is insensitive to the poor. In a symbolic move, Gandhi began his party's poll campaign Form Phulpur which was his grandfather Jawaharlal Nehru's Lok Sabha constituency. The day also marks Nehru's 123rd birth anniversary.

"Uttar Pradesh has been going backwards. Nehru was an MP from here. 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," Gandhi said. Phulpur is about 30 kms from Allahabad.

Attacking the Mayawati government, Gandhi alleged that during his visit to Bundelkhand region of the state a few years ago, he had seen drought and poverty.

"The government in Delhi made MNREGA which says every individual should get work. But in Bundelkhand, it was not the case. Crores of rupees which we sent vanished. The BSP workers, contractors profited from them while the poor were left gaping," Gandhi said.

He said that Chief Minister Mayawati had not visited Bundelkhand and the economic package for the region which was sent by the Centre was not used for the people.

"I had gone to the Prime Minister and told him there is drought and poverty in the area. He sanctioned a special package of Rs 7,000 crore but the money did not reach the poor," Gandhi said.

He also mentioned Bhatta-Parsaul, saying agitating farmers were fired at by the police. He alleged that the UP government had grabbed their land and women in the area were assaulted during the agitation.

While addressing the rally, Rahul also slammed the Mayawati government in Uttar Pradesh for establishing 'mafia rule' in the state.

Gandhi evoked Nehru's name at the beginning of his speech, saying Phulpur was his "karambhoomi (land of work)".

He said Uttar Pradesh had seen a lot of changes, "but no progress".

Gandhi said he had learnt about the problems of the people during his numerous visits to the state.

In the run-up to the rally, Gandhi was the focus of most of the party’s hoardings, posters and banners put on the main crossing and roads leading to the venue, the Railway Ground (Triveninagar) at Jhusi.

A number of posters and banners shown his pictures with Nehru. In many others, Gandhi was present with the slogan, Jawab Hum Denge (We will give a befitting reply), in the backdrop of pictures of Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Volunteers of the Congress Seva Dal took out a torch procession on Sunday evening and the slogans focused on Gandhi.

The rally is likely to intensify the war of words between the Congress and the ruling Bahujan Samaj Party.

“Phulpur has now turned into a BSP bastion. So Rahul Gandhi will definitely corner the (chief minister) Mayawati government on the issues concerning development and corruption," said a Congress functionary.

To derive maximum advantage from Gandhi's rally, 10 senior leaders were deputed to take out jan sampark (mass contact) yatras across the state in the coming days. Each yatra will cover nearly 40 assembly constituencies.

news HT

Oppn blasts Rahul Gandhi speech as divisive

Oppn blasts Rahul's speech as divisive


Opposition on Saturday sought to drive a wedge between the Prime Minister and Rahul Gandhi, saying the young leader's remarks on Anna Hazare's fast has "poured cold water" on the statesmanship of Manmohan Singh. "Was Rahul Gandhi's speech a Zero Hour intervention or an address to the     nation," asked Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj while initiating a day-long debate in the Lok Sabha on the issues relating to the setting up of a Lokpal. 


The debate was held on a day when Hazare's fast entered the 12th day and finance minister Pranab Mukherjee, whose statement formed the basis of the discussion, made a renewed appeal to the Gandhian to end the hunger strike.  Swaraj insisted that Rahul's remarks were the line of the Congress party which "poured cold water on the statesmanship displayed by the Prime Minister on the floor of the House" a couple of days back in a bid to end the impasse.  Amid objections and protests from Congress members, 


Swaraj also took a dig at Speaker Meira Kumar who was in the Chair, for allowing Gandhi to speak for so long while other members are restricted to just three to five minutes during the Zero Hour.  Unruffled by the protests including an objection by Minister Srikant Jena, Swaraj accused the government of failing to come up with a resolution or a statement by a senior minister on Friday which could have facilitated a debate straight away. 


This, she said, was because the government was not ready to make a commitment on the Lokpal issue.

Rahul Gandhi on Corruption

Rahul Gandhi for stronger lokpal, but not by Anna’s way

Rahul Gandhi for stronger lokpal, but not by Anna’s way


Pointing out that Anna Hazare’s continued hunger strike was “a dangerous precedent for a democracy”, Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi on Friday took the debate on corruption a step ahead by suggesting that the lokpal should be a constitutional body accountable to Parliament, like the Election Commission.


Speaking during Zero Hour in Lok Sabha, Gandhi thanked Hazare for articulating the people’s anger and disillusionment over corruption but said, “Individual dictates, no matter how well-intentioned, must not weaken the democratic process.” 


 “Today, the proposed law is against corruption. Tomorrow, the target may be something less universally heralded. It may attack the plurality of our society and democracy,” he said, as sister Priyanka watched from the visitor’s gallery.  


“We speak of a statutory lokpal but our discussions cease at the point of its accountability to the people and the risk that it might itself become corrupt. Why not elevate the debate and fortify the lokpal by making it a constitutional body accountable to Parliament, like the Election Commission of India? I feel the time has come for us to seriously consider this idea,” he said.


Gandhi's "game-changing idea", as he later called it, got the support of social activist Medha Patkar.  But Team Anna called it a long-term solution. "You climb hills before you reach Mt Everest," said Kiran Bedi. "Lokpal is a tall hill that will take you to Everest."   


The BJP, on its part, asked Gandhi to "stop giving sermons" and instead, persuade the PM to bring changes in the Lokpal Bill.  The opposition benches also protested that the MP had raised the issue during Zero Hour without prior notice, prompting an angry response from Congress members. Speaker Meira Kumar put an end to the sparring by saying she had allowed him to speak.  


Sources said the surprise move to let Gandhi speak in the House was decided on Friday morning, to dispel the perception that he was deliberately keeping silent.  Apart from the lokpal, Gandhi said laws addressing issues such as government funding of elections and parties,  transparency in public procurement, proper regulation of sectors that fuel corruption (like land and mining), grievance redressal in public service delivery of old-age pensions and ration cards and continued tax reforms were needed to combat corruption.
news HT