My experience gave birth to NREGS: Rahul Gandhi

GORAKHPUR: Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday claimed authorship of UPA’s flagship job scheme MNREGS. In an interaction with people here, he said, “I learnt the biggest need of people is employment near the place one lives. This gave birth to NREGS.”

Progress, he said, was possible only when one works at the ground level and Congress has shown this is possible. “Take NREGS, the 60,000-crore loan waiver and now the food security bill — the Congress has done it all.”

Repeating his oft-stated stand that UPA has never held back funds for UP, he said: “Mayawati gets MNREGS money stolen and then says the scheme would not benefit anyone.” Mulayam Singh Yadav, he said, became chief minister thrice and on all three occasions his “umeed ki cycle” sprung a puncture.

“Now, he claims he will give free electricity if voted to power—where will he get electricity from? From the skies? His umeed ki cycle has hopes for goons and other such elements,” Rahul said, his rhetoric and body language getting aggressive with every passing rally he addresses.

He asked people if Mayawati and Mulayam had given anything to the state in 22 years, barring corruption and poor law and order. He said schools and hospitals in the rural areas were non-functional. “When I come to meet you, eat your food, drink your water, the opposition leaders say that I have gone mad. They want to know why I come to you,” he said.

He said that in 2004, when Congress formed the government, it did not make 20-25 promises but assured it would be a government for the people.