Shri Rahul Gandhi said on Monday that the system of electric supply in the whole of Uttar Pradesh has collapsed.

Shri Gandhi was responding to a request for a power station in Sidhauli in Sitapur on Monday where an elderly person requested him to get a power station for the area that remains plunged in darkness.

“You are talking about this place but let me tell you that the situation is same in the whole of UP,” he said.

Shri Gandhi while starting the third phase of his tours in UP said that all the programmes started by the UPA government were directly related to the rights of the people and it was the Congress alone that was concerned about the rights of the people.

“In 2004, we promised a Government of aam aadmi and we delivered it. As a result the country showed signs of development. The poor, farmers, common man, businessmen, industrialists all contributed and our country developed. We made only a single promise– that the government would work for the common man and we have lived up to it,” he said.

Shri Gandhi said that the UPA introduced MNREGA which was related to the right to employment.

“When MNREGA was launched, Ms Mayawati said that it would not serve any purpose.  She was right because MNREGA did not work in UP because her elephant gobbled up the money. Today, in other states, MNREGA has benefited millions across the country and has changed the lives of so many people. It has given them employment and self respect. Now that we are bringing the Food security Bill, and she says that it is impractical. The bill will ensure that no one goes hungry and she says it is impractical,” Shri Gandhi said.

He further said that UPA brought the RTI because getting information about the government is your right and RTI has also helped expose corruption. We brought RTE because education is your right. Midday meal was introduced to ensure healthy food for the children and now the UPA is bringing the Food Security Bill because food is your right.

Shri Gandhi said that it was UP that was responsible for the development of other states because labor from UP works in states like Haryana, Maharashtra, Delhi and even Ladakh.

Addressing the youth, Shri Gandhi said that the youth of UP had lost 22 years because the governments in the state had failed to build their future.

“For 22 years, you have voted for leaders who spoke about religion and caste but forgot development and progress. Now is the time to change your future. You gave them 22 years, give us 5 years and we will make UP a leading state. India will not shine unless UP shines,” he said.

Repeating his earlier  statement, Shri Gandhi said that there was no dearth of money for projects and programmes and added that  whenever the centre sends money for developmental projects, the ‘magic elephant’  in Lucknow gobbles up the money.

Shri Gandhi said that he was often ridiculed by other parties for visiting homes of the poor but added that he would continue to do so because he got to learn about the ground realities from his visits.

Shri Gandhi asked the youth to recognize the power they possess and use it in the coming elections to elect a government that is concerned and focused on issues related to development.

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