Addressing an election rally at Jehanabad in Bihar on Wednesday, Congress General Secretary, Shri Rahul Gandhi stressed that only Congress Party truly believes in the welfare of backwards, tribals and weaker sections of the society. He revisited the promise made by Congress during the 2004 Parliamentary elections and said that he had promised that any Congress led government shall be a government of the poor, of the weaker sections, of the minorities, of the tribals. And since 2004, UPA government had undertaken many mega programmes for the upliftment of all such people who have stayed marginalized from witnessing the fruits of economic and social growth, he said. Congress belongs to the common man and Congress government is obliged for their progress and development of each and every nook and corner of the nation, he said.
He further said that since the focal point of Congress’s idelology is to work towards nation building and taking the fruits of development to each and every Indian, the party had decided to go alone with its message and dedicated work in UP and Bihar, he added. Shri Gandhi reiterated that only Congress Party genuinely thought about the poor, marginalized and weaker sections of the society. Others only provided lip service to their cause, he lamented. He said that it was truly paradoxical that in order to communicate whatever progress made by the urban parts of the country, NDA had coined the sloganĀ India Shining in English and not in Hindi or any regional vernacular. This showed the elitist nature of their ideology, he added. He pointed out that the Bihar government was also undertaking a media led blitzkrieg about Bihar Shining. But this too was a false propaganda, he added. He asked the people of Bihar that if Bihar was shining, why were people from Bihar on an exodus to Delhi, Punjab or Haryana in search of employment. The truth he stated was that people of Bihar were shining and not Bihar per se. People from Bihar and UP were significant contributors to the development of Delhi, Haryana, Punjab and Maharashtra, Shri Gandhi pointed out. He further added that the picture of villages in Bihar projected a completely contrary mosaic of underdevelopment and abject poverty. The central funds for developmental schemes and programmes were not reaching the Bihar villagers and were being usurped by unscrupulous elements due to rampant corruption in delivery mechanisms of these programmes, he said. Shri Gandhi pointed out that while MNREGS is a legal guarantee towards providing at least 100 days employment to all poor people in the country, in Bihar more than 75% people were provided less than only 30-35 days of employment.
He also pointed out that despite receiving highest allocation amongst all other states for Indira Awas Yojana, the true beneficiaries were not getting houses in Bihar. These houses were being allotted to such persons who were well off and could afford paying bribes to officials, he added. Congress General Secretary said that Congress wants to take the nation forward. And to achieve this goal, Congress shall continue to work tirelessly in this direction, he said. He added that Congress has started a mission for the youth, for the people of Bihar, for the whole of India. He stated that Congress wants to change Bihar for the good. He said that Congress had the right ideology for this service to the nation as it was not limited by narrow boundaries of caste or religion. Congress party was for the entire nation, he added. He said that if the country has to move forward, these narrow ideologies will have to be eradicated. He exhorted the people of Bihar to take the first concrete step in this direction and let Congress get an opportunity to establish Bihar on the path of prosperity and glory!}