Only the youth can revive UP's golden era: Rahul

Ballia, May 3: Expressing concern over the 'dismal' law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh, Congress Amethi MP Rahul Gandhi today said only the youth could revive the golden era of the state. ''The time has come for the youth to play an active role in UP's development. Their enthusiasm and energy will lead the state towards prosperity,'' Rahul said while addressing election meetings here.

''UP'' youth are already contributing significantly in the development of Punjab, Haryana and Delhi...it is painful that non-Congress regimes in the last 15 years only refrained them from participating in development works,'' the young MP observed.

''Whenever I meet the young lot, I ask them, why don't they do something for UP. They tell me in the absence of enough job opportunities in the state, they have no option except to migrate to other states,'' he added.

Wooing the youth vote bank as part of his election campaign, he asserted, ''I am not in UP only for the ongoing assembly poll. I vow to keep visiting the state to fight for the development of all. The only thing I need is your support...together we can and together we will.'' Denouncing non-Congress governments, he alleged, ''they always ditched the masses. Instead of developing UP, they divided the society in the name of religion and caste, besides transforming the state into a ''mafia-land.'' Firing a salvo at the Mulayam Singh Yadav regime, the Congress MP said the UPA government at the centre never meted out a step-motherly treatment to UP. ''It always provided development funds worth crore to the state. Unfortunately, the funds disappear the moment they reach the state,'' he added.

UNI