UP Polls: Sonia accuses BJP govts of meting out step-motherly treatment to Rae Bareli - Hindustan Times
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Sonia accuses BJP govts of meting out step-motherly treatment to Rae Bareli

By, Lucknow
Feb 21, 2022 10:25 PM IST

Sonia Gandhi, the Congress president, accused the Narendra Modi and Yogi Adityanath governments at the center and state of dealing with Rae Bareli in a stepmotherly manner and stopping development projects there.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Monday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and chief minister Yogi Adityanath-led BJP governments at the centre and the state, respectively, of meting out step-motherly treatment to Rae Bareli and stopping development projects there.

Congress Interim President Sonia Gandhi addressing the voters in Uttar Pradesh through video conferencing, in New Delhi on Monday. (AGENCY)
Congress Interim President Sonia Gandhi addressing the voters in Uttar Pradesh through video conferencing, in New Delhi on Monday. (AGENCY)

Rae Bareli is Sonia’s Lok Sabha constituency.

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“We had launched a number of development schemes (in Rae Bareli). Modi and Yogi governments stopped them. A step-motherly treatment has been meted out to Rae Bareli,” said Sonia while addressing people of her constituency virtually.

This was the first address of Sonia Rae Bareli residents amid campaigning for the ongoing assembly polls. Rae Bareli votes in fourth phase on February 23. Her daughter, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who camped for campaigning in Rae Bareli in the past two days, also referred to how the people of the constituency have been deprived of projects like the AIIMS.

Sonia said the Congress pursued politics of serving the people, while the BJP governments have created only a divide in the past five years. “You have seen Congress’ politics of serving and empowering the people. You have also seen a government that did nothing for people and only created a divide in society in the past five years,” she said.

She said both Modi and Yogi governments did not care for the people when they were fighting Covid-19 pandemic and that the public sector undertakings (PSUs) were being sold for a song.

“The Modi and Yogi governments turned away from the people like irresponsible governments and their behaviour was not appropriate during the period of lockdown… you did not get beds in hospitals. We tried to help you when you were stuck away from your homes. Instead of unburdening the people this government is selling the public sector undertakings, built with the hard work of people, for a song to its favourites,” she said.

Referring to the issues concerning different sections of society, she said “neither did farmers get remunerative price for their produce, nor did they get fertiliser or facilities for irrigation. You (farmers) are under pressure of loan and stray animals are destroying your crops. Same is the situation of the youths. They study hard to build their future and make preparations to get a job. But the BJP government has made you (youths) sit at home. Twelve lakh posts are lying vacant. But you have not been given jobs,” she said.

Sonia also attacked the BJP governments for failing to control prices and said: “Prices of petrol, diesel, cooking gas and mustard oil have gone up so high that making two ends meet has become difficult for the common man.”

She referred to the three manifestoes announced by the party for women, youths and common man and said her party had come out with a new vision for you. “We have brought out Shakti Vidhan (for women), Bharti Vidhan (for youths) and Unnati Vidhan (for progress of people). We have given 40 percent tickets to women. We have worked hard for the people. Our 18,000 workers went to jail while fighting for the people. We want to give you MLAs who work for you and formulate schemes for your development,” she said while urging the people to vote for the Congress candidates in five assembly segments of her Lok Sabha constituency.

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  • ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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    Umesh Raghuvanshi is a journalist with over three decade experience. He covers politics, finance, environment and social issues. He has covered all assembly and parliament elections in Uttar Pradesh since 1984.

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