Rahul gandhi accused UP CM Mayawati of stealing the money given by the Centre for the poor, as he embarked on a five-day public contact tour of the poll-bound state on Tuesday.
He said the CBI would expose the multi-crore National Rural Health Mission scam.
"We had sent money for the poor. It was not for Mayawati or (former family welfare minister Babu Singh) Kushwaha. An inquiry is on and we will soon know who parked how much," Rahul said at a public meeting in the Ramnagar assembly constituency of Barabanki, from where he started the tour. "Kushwaha now claims his life is in danger from his own colleagues," the Congress general secretary added.
Rahul drew a moderate crowd at Ramnagar's Government Inter College and received a warm reception at the Rani Bagh Ground in Kaiserganj, Bahraich. His third and last public meeting of the day at the Ramlila Ground was not very encouraging.
Trying to clarify his controversial statement of November 14 that the people of UP beg in Maharashtra, he said: "The state is suffering not only because of caste politics but also because of the 'studio politicians'. (When) I said in a meeting in Phulpur that the people of UP go to Mumbai and Delhi in search of job and beg there, these 'studio politicians' created an unnecessary hue and cry on television."
He added: "The truth is that these politicians hate the poor. They never share meals with them or drink water from their wells. They don't open their car window to ask a begging child where he/she hails from. I do all that. I feel bad to know they hail from UP."
Warning the crowd, Rahul said: "You don't know what conspiracy is going on against you and how you have been pushed towards beggary. You have been deprived of your basic rights. The only way to bring UP to the path of growth is to vote for the Congress."
Rahul acknowledged that he could not claim to "know poverty". "I am not in a position to claim that I understand poverty. But we fall sick after drinking dirty water. This is how I try to see and understand it," he said.
As Rahul spoke, it became clear that the Congress is not only eyeing the ruling BSP's Dalit and Brahmin votebank, but also wooing the Muslims and OBCs, who support the SP.
He alleged that it was a government of criminals during the SP's rule, and Mail Today, New Delhi, Wednesday, November 23, 2011 NEWS 3 'Maya govt stole cash from poor' Rahul Gandhi starts five-day public contact tour in Uttar Pradesh People reach out to Rahul during his Jan Sampark Yatra in Bahraich on Tuesday. now there was a corrupt BSP government. "I feel angry and want to change the trend. Why don't you feel angry at the mess?" he asked.
More than 70 per cent weavers in the state are Muslims. Rahul said: "We have announced a loan waiver for the weavers. We have also decided to give them loans at cheaper interest rates."
The road to success may not, however, be smooth for the Congress as its leaders are clearly divided. The supporters of Union steel minister Beni Prasad Verma and national SC commission chairman P.L. Punia clashed in Bahraich without any known reason. Sources said Verma and Punia were trying to sideline each other.
Violence over black flag
Congressmen thrashed SP workers at the Rani Bagh Ground in Kaiserganj after they showed Rahul a black flag. On November 14, Congress leaders had beaten up the SP's Abhishek Yadav for a similar act in Phulpur. SP leader Shivpal Singh Yadav said: "Our workers were assaulted in Phulpur and Bahraich. This is how the Congress wants to contest the polls. The people will give it a fitting reply."
He said the CBI would expose the multi-crore National Rural Health Mission scam.
"We had sent money for the poor. It was not for Mayawati or (former family welfare minister Babu Singh) Kushwaha. An inquiry is on and we will soon know who parked how much," Rahul said at a public meeting in the Ramnagar assembly constituency of Barabanki, from where he started the tour. "Kushwaha now claims his life is in danger from his own colleagues," the Congress general secretary added.
Rahul drew a moderate crowd at Ramnagar's Government Inter College and received a warm reception at the Rani Bagh Ground in Kaiserganj, Bahraich. His third and last public meeting of the day at the Ramlila Ground was not very encouraging.
Trying to clarify his controversial statement of November 14 that the people of UP beg in Maharashtra, he said: "The state is suffering not only because of caste politics but also because of the 'studio politicians'. (When) I said in a meeting in Phulpur that the people of UP go to Mumbai and Delhi in search of job and beg there, these 'studio politicians' created an unnecessary hue and cry on television."
He added: "The truth is that these politicians hate the poor. They never share meals with them or drink water from their wells. They don't open their car window to ask a begging child where he/she hails from. I do all that. I feel bad to know they hail from UP."
Warning the crowd, Rahul said: "You don't know what conspiracy is going on against you and how you have been pushed towards beggary. You have been deprived of your basic rights. The only way to bring UP to the path of growth is to vote for the Congress."
Rahul acknowledged that he could not claim to "know poverty". "I am not in a position to claim that I understand poverty. But we fall sick after drinking dirty water. This is how I try to see and understand it," he said.
As Rahul spoke, it became clear that the Congress is not only eyeing the ruling BSP's Dalit and Brahmin votebank, but also wooing the Muslims and OBCs, who support the SP.
He alleged that it was a government of criminals during the SP's rule, and Mail Today, New Delhi, Wednesday, November 23, 2011 NEWS 3 'Maya govt stole cash from poor' Rahul Gandhi starts five-day public contact tour in Uttar Pradesh People reach out to Rahul during his Jan Sampark Yatra in Bahraich on Tuesday. now there was a corrupt BSP government. "I feel angry and want to change the trend. Why don't you feel angry at the mess?" he asked.
More than 70 per cent weavers in the state are Muslims. Rahul said: "We have announced a loan waiver for the weavers. We have also decided to give them loans at cheaper interest rates."
The road to success may not, however, be smooth for the Congress as its leaders are clearly divided. The supporters of Union steel minister Beni Prasad Verma and national SC commission chairman P.L. Punia clashed in Bahraich without any known reason. Sources said Verma and Punia were trying to sideline each other.
Violence over black flag
Congressmen thrashed SP workers at the Rani Bagh Ground in Kaiserganj after they showed Rahul a black flag. On November 14, Congress leaders had beaten up the SP's Abhishek Yadav for a similar act in Phulpur. SP leader Shivpal Singh Yadav said: "Our workers were assaulted in Phulpur and Bahraich. This is how the Congress wants to contest the polls. The people will give it a fitting reply."
