At Amethi, Rahul says rivals kept UP 'backward', forced people to migrate

Amethi: Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday blamed successive governments of rival parties in Uttar Pradesh for its economic backwardness, forcing people to migrate to other states as labourers.

Taking a swipe at PM Narendra Modi, Rahul Gandhi said he has been working only for the billionaires, who do not give employment.

Coming together for a joint rally at Kali Maidan in Amethi, which has long been the pocket borough of the party till Rahul Gandhi lost it to Smriti Irani in the 2019 polls, the leaders asked people to vote for their own good and children, and not on emotional issues of caste and religion.

"Uttar Pradesh doesn't lack anything and it can leave all other states behind. You go to Punjab, Maharashtra and other states to work as labourers in search of livelihood. Why can't you get it here," Rahul Gandhi asked.

"It's because for years you elected SP, BJP and BSP. All these made wrong promises one after the other and stole money from you," he added, apparently responding to allegation by the rivals, who have been blaming Congress for people's migration.

Accusing PM Modi of helping only big industrialists, he said the billionaires do not give employment.

"It is small and medium traders and farmers who generate employment and this section, which is the backbone of job givers, has been broken," he said, adding that in these circumstances there will not be any job for the youth, even for those with proper education.

Saying that the PM Modi had promised two crore jobs to the youth, he asked, "Why is he not speaking about it in electioneering this time?"

People are well aware of his "lies" now, said the former Congress president.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said the voters will have to make up their mind whether they want politics of development or the one that entangles them in a "fake web of religion and caste".

Referring to her visit to a locality in Lucknow recently, the Congress leader said she there met some children, who were qualified but unemployed.

"Have you brought up your children so that they do not have any future and that they continue to get a sack of foodgrain and remain dependent on it. This is a conspiracy of these parties to keep you poor, keep your stomachs empty so that your emotions could be exploited by them," the Congress leader alleged. pti