Malda: Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi attacked both the BJP and the Trinamool Congress while addressing a big election rally at Malda in West Bengal. “The present state government does not do justice to this region. You cultivate mangoes; this place is known for jute. You must have good food processing stores and youth must be able to secure jobs. But your govt does not talk about jobs, MNREGA or foods. There are reports of big scams here like Chit fund scam in which about 20 lakh people suffered loss. The government has not been doing anything since two years. The enforcement directorate of SEBI had asked the West Bengal government to take actions against the guilty. But the state government not only took any such action, instead is protecting the accused” lamented the Congress leader.

1. Camp: Maldaha Uttar, West Bengal
Date: 19th Apr, 2014
Time: 4 pm
Rahul Gandhi in West Bengal: Reject divisive BJP, elect pro-poor Congress
Malda: Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi attacked both the BJP and the Trinamool Congress while addressing a big election
rally at Malda in West Bengal.
“The present state government does not do justice to this region. You cultivate mangoes; this place is known for jute. You must
have good food processing stores and youth must be able to secure jobs. But your govt does not talk about jobs, MNREGA or
foods. There are reports of big scams here like Chit fund scam in which about 20 lakh people suffered loss. The government has
not been doing anything since two years. The enforcement directorate of SEBI had asked the West Bengal government to take
actions against the guilty. But the state government not only took any such action, instead is protecting the accused” lamented
the Congress leader.
“The state government here alleges that the Centre is not sending adequate funds to West Bengal. But the amount of Rs. 1200
cr sent to the state under MNREGA, but Mamata government did not utilize it. Even huge funds remain unused in this region
too,” further said Rahul Gandhi adding, “These people talk big but do nothing for the poor. Unemployment is rampant here”.
The Congress Vice President said that the UPA Government at the centre, for the first time, had formed a separate ministry for
minority affairs. “We also implemented most of the recommendations of the Sachar committee; gave scholarship to the
students belonging to minority communities” he added.
Taking on the Left, Rahul Gandhi commented, “We need development but at the same time, we want to connect the poor and
downtrodden also with progress. We want them also to avail its benefits. CPI (M)’s ideology is no more relevant. Countries like
Russia and China have already rejected that ideology. But communists in West Bengal still continue with that rejected idea. They
want no development and want no industries to come up”.
“On the other side, you have BJP’s idea. It wants to forget the poor and serve a handful of big industrialists. They want to take
away all wealth of the country and hand over it to some businessmen. But Congress strongly does not want that to happen. We
will never let the poor to suffer. If there is development, it is a must that the poor, downtrodden and the weak also must get its
benefits. Congress wants development along with upliftment of the poor. We want a partnership of farmers, poor, youth,
farmers and women with the business houses” asserted Rahul Gandhi.

2. “West Bengal tops in atrocities against women. We want to give 33% reservation for women in Parliament and assemblies” he
quipped.
“Elect a government which takes everyone along, without any discrimination. The feeling of unity and harmony is in your DNA”
said the Congress Vice President striking a chord with the big crowd.
“Peace is essential for development. So please ensure the defeat of parties which spread hatred and anger. We can never gain
anything with divisive ideology. We need a government that unites and we must reject all others who divide us” appealed Rahul
Gandhi while concluding his address.
Full text of the speech by Rahul Gandhi at a public rally in Maldaha Uttar, West Bengal
Ghanikhan Choudhary and Priya Ranjan Das Munshi had done a lot for Malda’s progress. I feel very happy to be here today.
We are going to face another general election which is a fight between two ideologies. There is Congress’ ideology on one side,
which unites people and treats everyone equally, without any discrimination of caste, religion, language or region. On the other
side, you have opposition’s idea which wants development of only a selected group. They forget and ignore the poor and
common people. Their aim is to build two India – one for the poor and the other for the elite.
Due to the pro-poor, right based approach of the Congress-led UPA Government at the Centre in the past ten years, we could lift
about 15 cr people out of poverty. Our right to job scheme – NREGA ensured minimum 100 days of jobs to the rural poor. But
unfortunately this scheme is not being implemented properly here in West Bengal. The funds sent by the centre are not reaching
its beneficiaries.
To help our poor farmers, we waived off their loans worth Rs 70crore and opened the doors of banks for them. Earlier, the
governments used to snatch away poor farmers’ lands without giving proper compensation. We fought against this at Bhatta-
Parsaul and other places and enacted a revised Land Acquisition policy so that no one will grab any land forcibly. Now 4 times
more than market price is ensured for all lands acquired. . Further, we enacted food security law so that every poor is
guaranteed with food. Now, no poor will sleep with empty stomach. But Mamata-led govt did not implement this scheme too
here and the poor don’t get its benefits.
Through these right based approaches of the Congress-led UPA Government at the Centre, we built a strong floor under the
feet of the poor. Our policies are aimed at welfare of entire people, without any discrimination.
We had held interactions with various sections of the society, before finalising our manifesto for 2014 polls. People had
expressed their happiness with our schemes of granting rights in jobs and food for the poor. But they told us about their
difficulties in availing hospital facilities. They told us that if somebody falls ill in a poor family, it is very difficult to avail adequate

3. healthcare facilities. We, therefore, decided to grant people a right to health in our manifesto so that they can avail medicines
and treatment free of cost. We will open the doors of hospitals for the poor.
We had Indira Awaaz Yojana but not everyone could avail its benefits. We realised that many poor in our country still do not
have houses. We, therefore, will provide them with right to shelter. Similarly we also plan to give right to pension for the poor.
We need to build a strong floor under the feet of the poor. We want the poor also dream big and attain big.
Congress always unites people but BJP indulges in dividing them. BJP’s friends threaten people from Bihar and UP in
Maharashtra. Its cadres beat up women in Karnataka. But we want to instil confidence among everyone in our country so that
they also feel their relevance.
For the first time, we had formed a separate ministry for minority affairs. We also implemented most of the recommendations
of the Sachar committee; gave scholarship to the students belonging to minority communities.
The present state government does not do justice to this region. You cultivate mangoes; this place is known for jute. You must
have good food processing stores and youth must be able to secure jobs. But your govt does not talk about jobs, MNREGA or
foods. There are reports of big scams here like Chit fund scam in which about 20 lakh people suffered loss. The government has
not been doing anything since two years. The enforcement directorate of SEBI had asked the West Bengal government to take
actions against the guilty. But the state government not only took any such action, instead is protecting the accused. There is
also a scam related with appointment 35000 teachers. The state govt ignored the national guidelines and appointed those who
do not have requite qualification. As a result the teachers with merit were ignored.
The state government here alleges that the Centre is not sending adequate funds to West Bengal. But the amount of Rs. 1200 cr
sent to the state under MNREGA, but Mamata government did not utilize it. Even huge funds remain unused in this region too.
These people talk big but do nothing for the poor. Unemployment is rampant here. Nowadays, if you look at your watches and
other devises, you can see a label ‘Made in China’. I want this to be changed and ‘Made in India’ label in all such items. For
development, our youth must get job. That is why we have launched a new industrial corridors project– Delhi-Mumbai, Mumbai-
Chennai, Chennai-Bangalore, Delhi-Kolkata- will generate more jobs for our youth. We will have all modern infrastructures and
dedicated railway lines in that corridor. West Bengal will benefit in a big way. Today China is the manufacturing capital of the
world. We want India to replace China in the future. We want to see ‘Made in India’ or ‘Made in Malda’ and not ‘Made in China’
label on all the watches, cameras, mobiles so that the people here also feel the result of their hard work. Thousands of
industries are going to come up in these corridors. Crore of youths will be able to secure jobs once this is completed. Your state
government cannot do such works but Congress will show how we can materialise it.
We need development but at the same time, we want to connect the poor and downtrodden also with progress. We want them
also to avail its benefits. CPI (M)’s ideology is no more relevant. Countries like Russia and China have already rejected that

4. ideology. But communists in West Bengal still continue with that rejected idea. They want no development and want no
industries to come up.
On the other side, you have BJP’s idea. It wants to forget the poor and serve a handful of big industrialists. They want to take
away all wealth of the country and hand over it to some businessmen. But Congress strongly does not want that to happen. We
will never let the poor to suffer. If there is development, it is a must that the poor, downtrodden and the weak also must get its
benefits. Congress wants development along with upliftment of the poor. We want a partnership of farmers, poor, youth,
farmers and women with the business houses.
West Bengal tops in atrocities against women. We want to give 33% reservation for women in Parliament and assemblies. The
bill is still pending as the BJP is opposing its passage. But, when we will form a government in 2014, the first thing we would do is
passing this bill. Further, we will connect more women with banks through Self Help Groups so that more women can establish
their own small business endeavours. 2000 mahila police stations will be opened and will ensure that 25% of police force is
women. We cannot move forward without empowering our women. We want to give more powers to women and the youth.
This is the difference between the Congress and opposition.
You have a woman MP who seeks re-election from here. She is a grass root leader and has done a lot for you like various roads,
railway lines and over bridges. Centre has given its nod for NH 131-A on her request. With her initiative, 1500 km roads are built
here to improve connectivity. So support her and elect her with good margin so that UPA can again form a government at the
Centre.
Elect a government which takes everyone along, without any discrimination. The feeling of unity and harmony is in your DNA.
This state is the precious land of Tagore and Subhash Chandra Bose. They were never angry and behaved with everyone with
love. They worked for integrity and peace.
Peace is essential for development. So please ensure the defeat of parties which spread hatred and anger. We can never gain
anything with divisive ideology. We need a government that unites and we must reject all others who divide us.
So support Congress and elect our candidates.
Thank you.
Jai Hind.