Addressing a two-day convention of the party here, general secretary Rahul Gandhi said that Congress would go to every village of the state and fight for throwing out the present government.
He also demanded a judicial inquiry into the violence in Bhatta-Parsaul villages he visited last week to sympathize with the farmers agitating against land acquisition.
He also justify his remark on the alleged police brutality in the villages of Greater Noida, Rahul Gandhi saying people there had complained to him about the atrocities they were subjected to.
“Locals said that they were ready to give land. Women and poor farmers in the village told me, see what is happening to us. Why our houses are being burnt? Why are we beaten up? These questions are being asked,” he said.
“The Uttar Pradesh government says all is well in Bhatta Parsaul. Then why Section 144 has been imposed there. If everything is alright, why people are fleeing? If everything is alright, why a judicial probe is not being ordered? Free and fair inquiry is the need of the hour to fix responsibility”, Gandhi said. He said that he would reach every corner of the state and fight along with villagers to throw this government out.
About the clashes in Greater Noida, Gandhi said that he went to the affected villages but only women were there as majority of men had fled due to fear.
“What is the state government is doing. Bundelkhand is seeking help but the state government is not doing anything. I went to the Prime Minister and did whatever I can. But the money sent from Centre is not utilised here”, Gandhi said.
He asked the partymen that his fight was not for the coming polls but for the development of Uttar Pradesh. “State had seen governments of SP, BSP and BJP but none of them could ensure development” he said.
“Our fight is not for winning elections but to ensure better future for youths and development”, Gandhi said adding, “we want to change UP, we want to ensure development and this cannot happen without Congress.”
Addressing the convention another general secretary Digvijay Singh accused Mayawati government of institutionalising corruption and said people had fed up with deteriorating condition of the state and want to associate with the congress party in the 2012 Assembly polls.
Corruption set records in the BSP regime, and it has been institutionalised by the Mayawati government, he said. Slamming the BSP-government in the state, Singh said: “The posting of officers are done after taking money. And such officers after posting extort money for none other than common man.”
He also alleged that during Mayawati’s rule the condition of dalits and poor have deteriorated.
“We are in opposition since 1990. We might have committed some mistakes but during non-Congress governments, Uttar Pradesh become a backward state from a leading state,” Singh said.
Meanwhile congress has reiterated its demand for judicial inquiry into alleged atrocities against farmers and other developments at Bhatta Parsaul village at Gautam Buddha Nagar districts. The convention will be wrapped up by Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Thursday.