Rahul Gandhi kick-started the Congress's campaign in Uttar Pradesh for national polls due by May, by addressing a rally in Aligarh.
Aligarh:
Rahul Gandhi today kick-started the Congress's campaign in Uttar Pradesh for national polls due by May, by addressing rallies in Aligarh and Rampur.
Here are the highlights: In Aligarh:
Are the laptops working? Did it give you employment
I was told that what I said on Ordinance was at a wrong time
I said that I was honest
Sach bolne ka bhi samai hota he kya? (Is there a right time to speak the truth?)
When farmers were killed here, we promised that we would protect them
I promised that Cong will fight with you and surely win it
It took time, but the promise was fulfilled. We fought and we made sure that the Bill was passed
We provided employment to crores, and then we brought food security
Not only tomorrow, but your kids will get food everyday
Not a single person will go hungry in Uttar Pradesh
Not UP, but UPA govt promises you this
UP is regressing because political forces make you fight amongst yourselves
Hindus and Muslims died in Muzaffarnagar riots..I spoke to both communities, they told me, there is no anger betweem them. Politicians have created this rift
Muzaffarnagar riots caused because of political forces
Common man does not want to fight, he wants to live peacefully, and earn a living
We will not allow these people to incite violence
If Uttar Pradesh is lagging behind, it's because you are divided
You are made to fight amongst yourselves
We in the Congress will change that, we will fight those forces
In Rampur:
The Samajwadi Party may think implementing the food security act in Uttar Pradesh before 2014 elections may benefit the Congress
I urge you to put pressure on the government, so that everyone benefits
I went to Muzaffarnagar and everyone told me they had no quarrel between them and that the riots were orchestrated by politicians
No politician dies in riots, the common man does. This is not the politics of the Congress.
We want everyone to live in peace and talk development
There has been zero development in Uttar Pradesh - whether it was the SP or the BSP.
If UP has to be truly transformed, you need to vote and bring the Congress to power
There was an old land acquisition law under which a poor man's land could be taken away by the govt
We fought in Bhatta Parsaul, Aligarh and in Parliament - and we got the bill passed
The new law not only benefits land owners but also those who till the land
Congress will continue to fight for the poor and the downtrodden
A woman came to me and said you have given us 50% reservation in Panchayats - now what about Parliament? I told her if you get 50% in Parliament and Assemblies, the rest 50% you'll get by controlling your husband - so women will have 100% reservation
I want to make politics approachable for common people - people should be able to join political parties
Open the closed doors of the government and bureaucracy and put the common man there. Empower him with laws like RTI
The govt must function for 5 years - you must ask questions for 5 years and if people don't answer you - they will be jailed. That is RTI
Panchayati Raj, RTI, Right to Food will benefit India
Opposition asks what Congress did in 8 years
They don't understand the poor. Nothing is bigger than hunger. We gave people Right to Food.
They talk of growth rate. The pace at which we have grown, has never happened before.
Common man as never benefitted more
They spoke of India Shining in 2004. You asked them to make way for Congress. The same happened in 2009
Everyone said Congress will lose. Congress returned
It's simple. If you want to win elections, empower the poor
They don't go to the poor, don't communicate with them. They hold pressers in front of media