Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Saturday slammed UP chief minister Mayawati for criticising the food security bill and said that if the UPA government did anything for the benefit of the poor, Ms Mayawati was bound to criticise it.
“When MNREGA was launched, Ms Mayawati said that it would not serve any purpose. Today, 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, your chief minister says that it is impractical. The bill will ensure that no one goes hungry and she says it is impractical,” Mr Gandhi said while addressing a rally in Kanshi Ram Nagar on Saturday.
He said that the programmes launched by the UPA government were the right of the people. “We brought MNREGA because employment is your right. We 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 and now the UPA is bringing the Food Security Bill because food is your right,” he said.
The Congress leader said that unlike other parties, the Congress had made only one promise to the people when it came to power at the Centre in 2004 — that the government would belong to the poorest of the poor. “And we have lived up to the promise and our programmes and policies are designed with you in mind,” he stated.
Invoking the youth, Mr Rahul Gandhi said that it was up to the youth to change their destiny because they had the strength and the power to do so. “For 22 years, you have grappled with leaders who spoke about religion and caste. No one spoke of development and progress and now is the time to change your future. You gave them 22 years, give us five and we will make UP a leading state,” he pleaded and added that unless UP shines, the nation will not shine.
Mr Gandhi said that it was Uttar Pradesh that was responsible for the development of other states because when “Delhi sleeps, UP stays awake to work.”