Pathetic conditions in UP make me angry, says Rahul Gandhi

Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi said on Wednesday that the conditions in Uttar Pradesh always make him angry.

"The pathetic conditions in Uttar Pradesh always make me angry," he told a gathering in Bhadohi, the home of UP's carpet industry, where he drove around as part of his two-day unscheduled tour.

Rahul, who arrived in Varanasi on Tuesday, visited parts of neighbouring Mirzapur, Bhadohi and Jaunpur on Wednesday.

While he usually avoids any interaction with the media, Rahul surprised the media in Bhadohi by expressing his anguish over what he termed as the "pathetic conditions prevailing in the state."

"Every time I come to UP, I get angry because nothing seems to move here. People do not get what is due to them and the state government remains indifferent to the needs of the people," he said.

Training his guns at the Mayawati government, Rahul Gandhi said, "I can see that the state government is not carrying out the various development and welfare oriented schemes funded by the centre."

Replying to questions on bringing the Jan Lokpal Bill in the coming winter session of Parliament, he gave a categorical assurance, "Well, we are committed to introducing a strong and effective Lokpal Bill." According to him, "Lokpal was a part of our election promise and the Congress believes in fulfilling all its promises."

As if to give a clean chit to the Congress party, Gandhi said, "Congress is committed to stamping out corruption from public life; therefore any move aimed at combating corruption is always welcomed by our party."

Gandhi added, "You must remember that the Right to Information Act that has proved to be a positive move towards fighting corruption in governance was brought in by none other than the Congress government."

Later in the evening he visited Akra village in Jaunpur district where he held a "chaupal" with the local villagers. Gandhi wanted to know from them if they were receiving the benefits envisaged under various welfare schemes of the Union government. He also made inquiries about the implementation of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme.

Local officials were not aware whether Gandhi would return to Delhi later in the night or would stay on for another day in this poverty-ridden belt of Eastern UP.