BSP, BJP slam Rahul Gandhi's 'beg' remark

NEW DELHI: The fanfare at Rahul Gandhi's Phulpur rally was interspersed with some embarrassing moments. The Congress scion, in a bid to underline the joblessness in UP, asked the audience how long they would "beg" in Maharashtra, sparking an outrage among rival parties who accused him of "insulting" the people of UP. As if this was not enough, senior Congress leaders, including a Union minister and the CLP chief, were seen beating up Samajwadi Party supporters for raising black flags ahead of Rahul's arrival at the venue.

BSP and BJP were quick to seize on Gandhi's poor choice of expressions to describe the state of joblessness in UP. While UP chief minister and BSP chief Mayawati retorted that the people of UP were "hardworking" and not beggars, BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain accused him of hurting the sentiments of those hailing from the state. "The people of UP go out and change the face of other states as they are very hard-working," Mayawati said hours after Rahul exhorted his audience to stop begging in states like Maharashtra and vote for change. "The Congress is responsible for UP's backwardness, poverty and unemployment," she added.

"How many times has Rahul Gandhi gone to Maharashtra and where in Maharashtra has he seen a person from UP begging? This is an insult to the people of UP and Bihar," said Shahnawaz Hussain. Shiv Sena's Uddhav Thackeray said Rahul was indulging in the same regionalism that his party was repeatedly accused of. Congress defended Gandhi and said that it was meant to "invoke the pride of the people of UP." "The reactions of our rival parties to Rahul Gandhi's remarks clearly reflect their restlessness. They are worried over Congress' re-emergence as a force to reckon with in UP," said Congress chief spokesperson Janardhan Dwivedi.

However, what really put Congress in a tight spot were live images of Union minister of state Jitin Prasada and Congress Legislature Party leader in UP, Pramod Tewari, showering blows on Samajwadi Party supporters ahead of Rahul's landing at Phulpur. Drama marked his welcome as some Samajwadi Party supporters carrying black flags rushed towards his helicopter, only to be intercepted by Congress leaders lined up for his welcome.

Even as policemen were deployed in full strength at the spot, Congressmen could not resist taking on the Samajwadi protestors. In a scuffle that followed, Congressmen showered blows on their SP rivals in full presence of the electronic media. Prasada and Tewari were caught on camera kicking SP workers