UP: Mayawati government stole money meant for poor

New Delhi, Nov 23: Rahul Gandhi who is on a five-day public contact tour in Uttar Pradesh accused Chief Minister of the state Mayawati of stealing money meant for the poor given by the Centre.

"We had sent money for the poor. It was not for Mayawati or (former family welfare minister Babu Singh) Kushwaha. An inquiry is on and will soon know who parked how much," said Rahul in the Ramnagar assembly constituency of Barabanki. "Kushwaha now claims his life is in danger from his own colleagues," he said.

Clarifying his stand on the begging remark that the people of UP begged in Maharashtra, he said, "The state is suffering not only because of caste politics but also because of the 'studio politicians'. (When) I said in a meeting in Phulpur that the people of UP go to Mumbai and Delhi in search of job and beg there, these 'studio politicians' created an unnecessary hue and cry on television."

He further said, "The truth is that these politicians hate the poor. They never share meals with them or drink water from their wells. They don't open their car window to ask a begging child where he/she hails from. I do all that. I feel bad to know they hail from UP."

He further warned the crowd he was addressing to and said, "You don't know what conspiracy is going on against you and how you have been pushed towards beggary. You have been deprived of your basic rights. The only way to bring UP to the path of growth is to vote for the Congress."

Giving his definition of "poverty", he said that he did not know what poverty was.

"I am not in a position to claim that I understand poverty. But we fall sick after drinking dirty water. This is how I try to see and understand it," he said.

Rahul Gandhi started his five-day public contact tour in Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday, Nov 23. His visit to the state came a day after Mayawati passed the resolution to divide the state into four.

OneIndia News