Varanasi, May 19 (IANS) Close on the heels of her son Rahul's pointed attack, Congress president Sonia Gandhi Thursday lambasted Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati for the "total misrule" in the state.
Addressing an impressive public rally at the historic Beniyabagh grounds here, Sonia said: "UP is a classic example of total misrule. It is an 'andher nagari', where there is none to listen to your woes."
"Everyone appears to be involved in plundering the state and serving their own vested interests."
"There is anarchy everywhere, misrule is all-pervasive and there is a conspiracy of corruption," she told the gathering of about 30,000 people.
"No one is here to listen to the public. All these things would not be tolerated by the Congress," she said during her 20-minute speech.
Referring to the recent farmers' trouble in western Uttar Pradesh, the Congress president said the "atrocities by the UP police on farmers in Greater Noida were shameful."
She further blamed the state government for shutting down industries and for the "sell-out" of sugar mills.
"There was a time when UP used to determine the political destiny of the nation. However, today this state is suffering on account of the dominance of the politics of caste, creed and politics of loot," Sonia said.
A combative Sonia Gandhi went about attacking the Mayawati regime for other ills prevailing in the country's most populous state.
Claiming that the United Progressive Allaince (UPA) government was responsible for initiating a host of welfare schemes for the poor and the downtrodden in the state, she said: "We have also taken care to address the problems faced by certain backward regions like Bundelkhand, for which we gave a special economic package of Rs.7,000 crore."
However, while promising to address the problems of the equally backward region of eastern Uttar Pradesh, she once again sought to question the Mayawati government's sincerity in utilising the developmental funds released by the central government.
"My concern is to know where is all the money given by the UPA government?" she asked.
Interestingly, she chose to speak on the oft-repeated allegation about rampant corruption in the UPA government.
"May I ask the Congress critics to tell me if any other government had ever taken such prompt and stern action against corruption?" she said. "Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones."
She sought to urge the opposition not to ignore the results of the recently concluded elections in four states.
"The results of the state assembly elections clearly reflect the pro-Congress mood of the people," she remarked. "Even Leftists have been wiped out."
"Jo jaise karega, woh waisa bharega. (As you sow, so shall you reap)," Gandhi said in what is perhaps her first reaction to the results of assembly elections in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Kerala and Puducherry.
Speaking at the Congress convention here Wednesday, Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi said that the plight of the poor and downtrodden in Uttar Pradesh was enough reason for Mayawati's government to go.
Blasting the BSP government for defending the police action against the agitating farmers of Bhatta-Parsaul village in Greater Noida, the Congress scion served notice that the Congress battle he had launched for the farmers would be taken to every village in the state.
"The flame we lit in Bhatta-Parsaul will be carried to every village of the state. We will show the UP government what the Congress is capable of doing ood for the poor and the downtrodden," he said.