Aligarh/New Delhi:
The much-anticipated mahapanchayat begun in Aligarh today as Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi arrived in a chartered plane from New Delhi to address the farmers.
Other Congress leaders like Digvijaya Singh, Jitin Prasada, RPN Singh, Salman Khushid and Sriprakash Jaiswal are attending the meet.
The mahapanchayat is taking place at Numaish Maidan in Aligarh. Uttar Pradesh Congress President, Rita Bahuguna, is overlooking the preparations.
"This is going to be an interesting mahapanchayat because it is the first time such a gathering is happening and all the ministers from the UPA and our leader Rahul Gandhi will be here for four hours. Out of that, we are allotting three and a half hours to farmers to voice their grievances and to give suggestions. And I think this is for the first time, a national party like the Congress has organised a mahapanchayat in which the leader is not only coming, giving a speech and going away, but listening along with the entire leadership of UPA," said Ms Rita Bahuguna.
Rahul Gandhi ended his four-day padyatra yesterday. Describing it as an unforgettable experience that has enlightened him of the farmers problems, Rahul told farmers, "I have learnt a lot after talking to you. I am young and from you I have gained a world of knowledge on land acquisition issues... I can never forget all this all my lifetime and the fact that I am taking back so much from you." (Read: Learnt more from you than in Lok Sabha: Rahul to farmers)
The foot march, which was flagged off from Bhatta village in Greater Noida on Tuesday, saw the Congress leader spanning over 70 km in hot and sultry weather conditions. During his yatra, Rahul stopped at nearly 25 villages and spoke to villagers from about 60 villages to discuss the issue of land acquisition by the Mayawati government.
"In UP, farmers are being robbed in broad daylight. In Delhi, we will give you a good law. But we can't change the intent of government," he said during his interaction on Friday. (Read: Uttar Pradesh being run by 'dalals', says Rahul Gandhi)
Rahul's last stop was Bhajana village in Mathura district. It was supposed to be a padyatra to reach out to farmers, but it looks like the whole exercise has become a theatre of the absurd.
To regain political ground ahead of Uttar Pradesh elections next year, Rahul Gandhi has an emotive issue - Land. And his prime target is Mayawati.
"The new policy will not help if the government's intentions are bad. Your land is acquired at rates way lower than the market price. That's because you are poor," he said to farmers.
But Mayawati is questioning the very motive of the padyatra calling it political theatrics.
She claims Rahul Gandhi chooses to stay at Dalit homes but doesn't eat Dalit-cooked food, a charge that seems to have little basis.
With politics playing out on the ground, what has the padyatra achieved? Rahul does interact with villagers but is vague when faced with tough questions like price rise and corruption.
When he was asked why is the UPA government is involved in so much corruption, the Gandhi scion said, "We take the strictest action against those found to be involved in corruption. Please go and read the newspapers, you will see for yourself." (Read: Rahul Yatra - Photo-ops galore, but will they lead to votes?)
Rahul also took many by surprise when he launched a veiled attack on Congress ally.
"There is a coalition government at the Centre. We have to discuss things with various parties, ask them, is this law alright with you? They may reply, 'No this is not right for Bengal, please change it'. So talking to them takes some time," Rahul said. (Read: Did Rahul Gandhi just take a dig at Mamata?)
With this padyatra and the kisan mahapanchayat, Rahul Gandhi has kicked off his party's campaign for the all important Uttar Pradesh elections next year. But with a chequered record in terms of his electoral campaigns and many critics saying he needs to do much more to prove his mettle, Rahul Gandhi knows all too well that 2012 will be his first real acid test. (Watch: Rahul Gandhi's padyatra - Mission 2012?)
Other Congress leaders like Digvijaya Singh, Jitin Prasada, RPN Singh, Salman Khushid and Sriprakash Jaiswal are attending the meet.
The mahapanchayat is taking place at Numaish Maidan in Aligarh. Uttar Pradesh Congress President, Rita Bahuguna, is overlooking the preparations.
"This is going to be an interesting mahapanchayat because it is the first time such a gathering is happening and all the ministers from the UPA and our leader Rahul Gandhi will be here for four hours. Out of that, we are allotting three and a half hours to farmers to voice their grievances and to give suggestions. And I think this is for the first time, a national party like the Congress has organised a mahapanchayat in which the leader is not only coming, giving a speech and going away, but listening along with the entire leadership of UPA," said Ms Rita Bahuguna.
Rahul Gandhi ended his four-day padyatra yesterday. Describing it as an unforgettable experience that has enlightened him of the farmers problems, Rahul told farmers, "I have learnt a lot after talking to you. I am young and from you I have gained a world of knowledge on land acquisition issues... I can never forget all this all my lifetime and the fact that I am taking back so much from you." (Read: Learnt more from you than in Lok Sabha: Rahul to farmers)
The foot march, which was flagged off from Bhatta village in Greater Noida on Tuesday, saw the Congress leader spanning over 70 km in hot and sultry weather conditions. During his yatra, Rahul stopped at nearly 25 villages and spoke to villagers from about 60 villages to discuss the issue of land acquisition by the Mayawati government.
"In UP, farmers are being robbed in broad daylight. In Delhi, we will give you a good law. But we can't change the intent of government," he said during his interaction on Friday. (Read: Uttar Pradesh being run by 'dalals', says Rahul Gandhi)
Rahul's last stop was Bhajana village in Mathura district. It was supposed to be a padyatra to reach out to farmers, but it looks like the whole exercise has become a theatre of the absurd.
To regain political ground ahead of Uttar Pradesh elections next year, Rahul Gandhi has an emotive issue - Land. And his prime target is Mayawati.
"The new policy will not help if the government's intentions are bad. Your land is acquired at rates way lower than the market price. That's because you are poor," he said to farmers.
But Mayawati is questioning the very motive of the padyatra calling it political theatrics.
She claims Rahul Gandhi chooses to stay at Dalit homes but doesn't eat Dalit-cooked food, a charge that seems to have little basis.
With politics playing out on the ground, what has the padyatra achieved? Rahul does interact with villagers but is vague when faced with tough questions like price rise and corruption.
When he was asked why is the UPA government is involved in so much corruption, the Gandhi scion said, "We take the strictest action against those found to be involved in corruption. Please go and read the newspapers, you will see for yourself." (Read: Rahul Yatra - Photo-ops galore, but will they lead to votes?)
Rahul also took many by surprise when he launched a veiled attack on Congress ally.
"There is a coalition government at the Centre. We have to discuss things with various parties, ask them, is this law alright with you? They may reply, 'No this is not right for Bengal, please change it'. So talking to them takes some time," Rahul said. (Read: Did Rahul Gandhi just take a dig at Mamata?)
With this padyatra and the kisan mahapanchayat, Rahul Gandhi has kicked off his party's campaign for the all important Uttar Pradesh elections next year. But with a chequered record in terms of his electoral campaigns and many critics saying he needs to do much more to prove his mettle, Rahul Gandhi knows all too well that 2012 will be his first real acid test. (Watch: Rahul Gandhi's padyatra - Mission 2012?)
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