Happy Birthday Rahul Gandhi ji

Shri Rahul Gandhi ji and Mohammed Khaleequr Rahman

Rahul Gandhi ji Biography

A young man with a vision and one of the India's new ray of hope in the world of Indian politics. He is Rahul Gandhi. Rahul Gandhi is the Congress General Secretary of the Indian National Congress. He is also a Member of Parliament representing the Amethi constituency.

Childhood and Study

Rahul Gandhi was born on 19 June 1970 in Delhi, the first amongst 2 children of Rajiv Gandhi, former Prime Minister of India and Sonia Gandhi, the present Congress President. His grandmother was former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and his great-grandfather was Jawaharlal Nehru, India's first Prime Minister.

He attended Modern School, New Delhi before entering the The Doon School. Starting university at Harvard, he got his B.A. from Rollins College, Florida in 1994 due to interruptions in his studies caused by security concerns after his father's assassination. He received an M.Phil. in Development Studies in 1995 from Trinity College, Cambridge. Rahul Gandhi, after graduating worked with management guru, Michael Porter's Management consulting firm, Monitor Group for three years. He returned to India in late 2002.

His vision

Rahul Gandhi’s vision of ‘Internal Democracy’ in the Congress party’s Youth and the Students’ wings has resulted in reforms and transformations never seen before. From open memberships to internal elections under impartial observers, the young Gandhi aims to infuse transparency and the concept of talent management and performance measurement in the organisation, a huge effort to herald a positive change in one of India’s oldest political parties.

Public life

He appeared with his mother and Congress President Sonia Gandhi at public events and Congress meetings. He also traveled to Pakistan on a goodwill visit to watch the first cricket series between the countries in 14 years in a One Day International with his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. As a matured politician he formulates his tactics very carefully. In March 2004, he announced his entry into politics by contesting the May 2004 elections from Amethi in Uttar Pradesh for the Lok Sabha. In his first interview with media, he condemned "divisive" politics in India, saying that he would try to reduce caste and religious tensions. His candidacy was greeted with excitement by locals, who had a long standing affinity with the family's presence in the area. He won with a landslide majority, retaining the family stronghold with a margin of over 100,000 as the Congress unexpectedly defeated the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. His campaign was directed by his younger sister, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

In January 2006, at a convention of the Indian National Congress in Hyderabad, thousands of party members asked for Gandhi to take a more prominent leadership role in the party and demanded that he address the delegates. He said "I appreciate and I am grateful for your feelings and support. I assure you I will not let you down", but asked for patience and declined to immediately seek a high profile role.

Rahul Gandhi and his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra managed their mother's election campaign in Raebareli in 2006, which was won easily with a margin greater than 400,000 votes. He was a prominent figure in a high profile Congress campaign for the 2007 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.
As Congress General Secretary.

Rahul Gandhi was appointed a General Secretary of the All India Congress Committee on 24 September 2007 in a reshuffle of the party secretariat. In the same reshuffle, he was also given charge of the Youth Congress and the National Students Union of India. Rahul Gandhi implemented some innovative methodologies in the process of choosing leadership in Youth Congress. Rahul Gandhi toured the country with a mission to strengthen the Youth Congress and NSUI. He held interaction sessions with the young buds in various colleges and universities. This new approach helped create a fresh enthusiasm among the young party workers and sympathizers. Rahul Gandhi always believed that unless the youth of this country become active in Indian politics and be a part in the process of development, India cannot prosper further.

Strengthening Youth Congress

It is a scene of a sea-change in the rank and file of the Indian Youth Congress (IYC) and the National Students Union of India (NSUI), the youth and students’ wings, respectively, of the Indian National Congress. The reason is the implementation of the vision of ‘Internal democratisation of Rahul Gandhi, current General Secretary of the All India Congress Committee (AICC). Along with the strengthening of internal democracy in the youth and student’s wings of the party, Rahul Gandhi has not lost sight of the long term vision of political empowerment of youth of the country. In the Parliamentary and Assembly elections held recently, a large number of IYC and NSUI members were given opportunity to contest elections and a majority of them have been successful. This has ensured a two pronged rejuvenation and reformation in the IYC. By sending new talent into the parliament and State Assemblies Shri Rahul Gandhi has ensured that the young generation gets a firsthand exposure in the giant laboratory of Indian Democracy.

His mission to promote youth

Rahul Gandhi focussed on the twin systems of open membership and internal elections as the major drivers of this organisational transformation. His method of open membership ensures that people interested in becoming members are inducted directly into the organisation. The aim is to increase the cadre-base and to empower the youth of the country by helping them enter the political sphere. As a pilot, a month-long membership drive was undertaken in Punjab in August-December 2008. The result saw memberships exceed 350,000, a ten-fold increase vis-à-vis the previous membership drive which yielded approximately 30,000 memberships.

A greater arduous task that has been driven by Rahul Gandhi is the process of conducting elections within the organisation, across the country. This was a step never before undertaken in the organisation, and is seen as a bold and decisive move to bring in transparency across the ranks and to give a fair chance to all members. The membership drive in the states was followed by elections at block, district and state levels in the organisation. The election also ensures that all sections of society are adequately represented within a committee. The result, according to the party, has been a younger, fresh lot of people from all sections of society, many amongst them, first-timers in politics. Rahul Gandhi’s drive and vision has, according to the party, succeeded in its primary mission of opening the doors of politics to all who are interested, and ushering in organisational democracy, setting a benchmark across all political organisations.

As a Congress campaigner

In the 2009 Lok Sabha elections, he retained his Amethi constutuency by a victory margin of over 333,000 votes. Rahul Gandhi also played a pivatol role in reviving Congress in U.P during this election by winning 21 out of the total 80 Lok Sabha seats. He spoke at 125 rallies across the country in six weeks. Rahul Gandhi, at present concentrates mainly on constituency issues and the politics of Uttar Pradesh.

"If the country is to be changed, it cannot be changed from the top, it can be changed from the ground level. Policies can be from the top, ideas can come from the top, thoughts can come from the top, but their implementation has to be at the level of municipalities, panchayats and wards". These words of Rahul Gandhi prove that he understands the actual value and strength of democracy and also underlines the importance of a visionary young leader like him.

Future leader

It is the future which will prove the effectiveness of the endeavour of the young Congress leader. But his push at reforms, addressing rallies, conferences and meetings and interaction with young people of varied professions and socio-economic backgrounds across states to spread the awareness of his organisational reforms is an indication of his seriousness to bring in and to establish a direct contact with the grassroots, an endeavour to inject vital life into the party and the youth of this country.
Rahul Gandhi was born on June 19, 1970 & is an Indian Politician cum member of the Indian National Congress.

Son of former Prime Minister Shri. Rajiv Gandhi and Smt. Sonia Gandhi, this young and dynamic political leader has seen his entire family struggling and sacrificing lives for India. His father Late Shri. Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated by Tamil Tigers is 1991 and grandmother Late. Smt. Indira Gandhi, the former Prime Minister of India was brutally assassinated by a Sikh Militant in 1984. Shri. Rahul Gandhi's great grandfather Late Shri. Jawahar lal Nehru and the first Prime Minister of India has also sacrificed a lot during the freedom movement of India against the British.

Education:

The entire Gandhi family is known for its unparalleled educational Background. Shri. Rahul Gandhi is no different. He completed his schooling from modern school in New Delhi. He was enrolled for History (Hons) at St. Stephen's college, New Delhi. He successfully accomplished a four-year AB course in Economics at Harvard University.

Political Career:

Shri. Rahul Gandhi stayed away from politics till 2004. In May 2004, he ran for the lower house of parliament from his constituency of Amethi in Uttar Pradesh. The state helped him to win by a wide margin and offered on opportunity to Shri. Rahul Gandhi to become the second member of the fifth generation of the Nehru-Gandhi family to enter into active politics. It was in fact a great achievement for this young politician as he won the seat by a margin of 300,500 votes.

The campaign for this parliamentary Election from Amethi in Uttar Pradesh was directed by his younger sister Smt. Priyanka Vadra. His victory was widely commemorated by the media many enthusiasts, specially the younger citizens of India.

This victory offered Shri. Rahul Gandhi an opportunity to make his mark in the political career. Thereafter, he was sought to cultivate support from his admirers. However, this has not been an easy journey as he strived hard to work up his profile through the media and stay away from the scandals of coalition politics.

I wish Shri Rahul Gandhi a very Happy Birthday and a wonderful year ahead. He is the aspiration of the Nation especially the youth.

Khaleequr Rahman: Minorities 4.5% Quota-A.P.High Court does it again...

Khaleequr Rahman: Minorities 4.5% Quota-A.P.High Court does it again...: In a very unfortunate move, the Andhra Pradesh high court has struck down the 4.5 per cent central sub-quota for minorities within the...

Minorities 4.5% Quota-A.P.High Court does it again

In a very unfortunate move, the Andhra Pradesh high court has struck down the 4.5 per cent central sub-quota for minorities within the OBC quota, holding that reservations can't be based purely on religious grounds. Severely indicting the Centre for handling the issue in a casual manner, a division bench of the AP high court, comprising chief justice Madan B Lokur and justice Sanjay Kumar, said the sub-quota was on religious lines and not based on any other intelligible consideration. "There was no rationale or empirical data to justify such an action," the bench said.

Stating that no evidence was presented before the bench to "justify the classification of these minorities as a homogenous group or as more backward classes deserving some special treatment", the court held that "Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and Zoroastrians (Parsis) do not form a homogeneous group but a heterogeneous group."

This is the fourth time that the Andhra HC has struck down minority sub-quota, which the AP government has been pushing at the state level since 2004. The first order offering Muslims 5 per cent quota in public employment and educational institutions was issued by the state government on July 7, 2004. This was challenged in the high court, which in September 2004 struck it down for being "wholly unconstitutional."

The Congress government ordered the AP Backward Classes Commission to conduct a fresh enquiry on the status of Muslims and, upon presentation of its report, issued an ordinance on June 2005 giving 5 per cent quota for Muslims in educational institutions and state government jobs. Later, when the assembly passed a bill to replace the ordinance, it was challenged in the AP high court. In November 2005, the Act was struck as unconstitutional for being religion-specific.

The Congress government made a third attempt at bringing back the Muslim sub-quota. The exercise ended with another ordinance decreeing 5% quota for socially and educationally backward Muslims, which in August 2007 became an Act. The Act was challenged, and a seven-judge bench issued a majority verdict striking it down as "unsustainable."
The AP government appealed to the Supreme Court against the high court order. A bench headed by ex-CJI KG Balakrishnan allowed the appeal while staying the judgement of the high court, allowing 4 per cent reservations for Muslims listed in Schedule of the Act to continue. The case is pending in the Supreme Court.

Since the Union Cabinet approved a sub-quota within the 27% OBC quota on 22nd December, 2011, a confusion (genuine or deliberate) has prevailed, with a section of media and Muslim leaders calling it a Muslim quota while others taking it as a sub-quota for all defined religious minorities enlisted under the OBC category. However, a notification from Department of Personnel & Training (Ministry of Personnel Public Grievances & Pensions, Govt. of India) that was issued on 23rd Dec., removed that confusion.

The notification has this title: Reservation for Other Backward Classes in Civil Posts and Services under the Govt. of India — Sub-quota for Minority Communities. Even as the title itself makes it clear that the sub-quota is not for only Muslims but minority communities, the body of the notification makes the things clearer and says that it is not given on the religious basis but on the basis of the backwardness.

Below is the 23rd Dec. notification from Department of Personnel & Training (Ministry of Personnel Public Grievances & Pensions, Govt. of India)

The Government had carefully considered the recommendation of Ranganath Mishra Commission and it decided to carve out a sub-quota of 4.5% for minorities, as defined under Section 2 (c) of the National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992, from within the 27% reservation for OBCs as notified by the  Official Memorandum. The castes / communities of the said backward classes pf minorities which were included in the Central list of OBCs, notified state-wise from time to time by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, were covered by the sub-quota of 4.5% which is also evident from the ministry notification signed by Sharad Kumar Srivastava, Under Secretary to the Government of India.

The Government of India had set up the National Commission for Religious and Linguistic Minorities (Ranganath Mishra Commission) to suggest criteria for the identification of the socially and economically backward sections amongst Religious and Linguistic Minorities and to recommend measures for their welfare, including reservation in Government employment. The Commission submitted its report to the Government on l0th May, 2007, wherein it had, inter-alia, recommended creation of a sub-quota for minorities from within the reservation of 27% available to OBCs, in Government employment.


Who are minorities?

Vide a Gazette notification issued on 23rd October 1993 by Ministry of Welfare, Government of India, five religious communities viz; the Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and Zoroastrians (Parsis) were notified as minority communities. As per the 2001 Census, these five religious minority communities constitute 18.42% of the country’s population. Among these communities, those who are economically backward would be covered by this quota and not just because they belong to these communities so where is the question of the quota given on the basis of the religion and this sub quota is based on equitable distribution of benefits amongst communities concerned. However, Mr.Salman Khursheed saheb Union Minister for Law and Justice has said that the government would appeal against this in Supreme Court.


The Need of the hour is that all the political parties should come on a common platform and reach the consensus to make the necessary amendement in the constitution to give the reservation to the minorities and the muslims in India rather than subjecting it for judicial scrunity everytime the government announces some quota or the other.  I urge that let the quota be given based on the proportion of the population of every community in India so that there will not be any confusion anywhere.

Khaleequr Rahman: A Tribute to Janab Iqbal Ahmed Chaudhry Saheb

Khaleequr Rahman: A Tribute to Janab Iqbal Ahmed Chaudhry Saheb: Janab Iqbal Ahmed Chaudhry Saheb (1933-2011)  khaleeqrahman@gmail.com  Haazaron saal Nargis Apni be noori pe Roti hein, Badi Mushki...

A Tribute to Janab Iqbal Ahmed Chaudhry Saheb

Janab Iqbal Ahmed Chaudhry Saheb

(1933-2011)

khaleeqrahman@gmail.com

Haazaron saal Nargis Apni be noori pe Roti hein,

Badi Mushkil se hota hai Chaman mein Deedawar Paida….

For a thousand years the narcissus has been lamenting its blindness;
With great difficulty the one with true vision is born in the garden,

Allama Iqbal says and this truly applies to

Janab Iqbal Ahmed Chaudhry saheb’s personality.

Janab Iqbal Ahmed Chaudhry saheb was born on February 23, 1933 in Sahespur Village of Bijnor District in Western Uttar Pradesh. The Journey from 1933 to 2011 has been remarkable with  full of achievements, accomplishments, and satisfaction. For a person who is born in a small village and then migrating to New Delhi, which is an ocean and making a place for himself in that ocean, leaving his marks in the society with a strong message for the young generation on the importance of education, is something which very few blessed ones can get in this world.  

A multifaced personality with a heart for the poor and needy. A true lover of urdu prose and poetry.  He was very well known and respected figure in the country's Logistics, Literary, Educational, Social and Political circles. For him the meaning of life was not just living for himself but for serving the less privileged of the society. He led his life by example. He was somebody who ruled the hearts of people and was always so kind with his employees and was known for his generosity.

Janab Iqbal Ahmed Chaudhry saheb at his office

After migrating to Delhi in the year 1951, he started his career by working in the Northern Railways as the Railway Booking clerk and then got a job in a transport company “Green Transport Company” that’s where he gained experience in the transport industry. The entrepreneur within him never slept and always kept reminding him that he has to do something big and then he started his own Transport company called "GREEN ROADLINES" in 1971 which is having the pan India presence today and is one of the most trusted names in the logistic industry of our country. He built up the empire with his hard work, dedication and vision. He  has re-defined the meaning of logistics in India. His sincerity, honesty and integrity has made the Green Roadlines as one of the most sought after logistic companies in the country. Then he went on opening the branches in Mumbai, Indore, Kolkotta, Jaipur, Bangalore, Chennai and Hyderabad. This is a success story and a research stuff for somebody who would like to dig and find out how can a small transport company which was started in a streets of Sadar Bazar of Old Delhi could become the India's one of the leading transport companies. This is through sheer hard work, believing in one self and the faith in Allah and thats what all Janab Iqbal Ahmed Chaudhary saheb had and success touched his feet and he kept the success there and never let it travel to his head. 

Janab Iqbal Ahmed Chaudhry saheb with the Grand Children-A through family man

During his initial days of struggle in Delhi, he stayed in a single room on the sharing basis alongwith Janab Noorul Hasan Naqvi, Janab Iqbal Abbas, Janab Hafeez Abbasi and Janab Ansarul Haq who became his close friends. The bonding among these friends was so strong that they were there for each other in all their goods and bads and Janab Iqbal saheb was always the darling among his friends. “A friend in need is a friend indeed” how truly is applies to the character of Janab Iqbal Ahmed Chaudhry saheb. Inspite of the days of struggle and the pressures of his professional pursuits, his love and passion for education never let him discontinue his studies and rather he pursued his higher education and completed the pre-graduate course then he joined B.A. Urdu in Jamia Millia University while working as a Railway booking Clerk. He worked with the Railways for 9 long years from 1951-1960. He was the Chairman of the World Educational Development Organisation, Delhi. He always believed in the importance of the education and established the New Horizan School as its Patron and the founding member in 1981 as a primary school in the East Nizamuddin colony, New Delhi. With his hard work, interest and commitment, the school has seen a tremendous growth and success and is now upto 12^th standard with the present strength of more than 1500 students. He strongly believed in the saying that if one needs to conquer the world, then one needs to be educated. He also believed very strongly that one needs to keep pace with the technology and keeping that in mind and his love for his native place in his heart took him to Sahespur to start Iqbal Educational and Social Trust in 2003 where computer education and training is given free of cost to the children specially the girls and the adults. He was a messiah for the people of Sahespur and for every issue of the sahespur people, they always used to look upto him and Janab Iqbal Ahmed Chaudhry saheb used to very affectionately resolve the issues of the people of Sahespur and Bijnor. He was such a generous person that he quietly used to help the needy from his village financially which even his family members were not aware of. This fact came to my knowledge when I recently visited Sahespur in connection with the election.

I have known him for many years and he was a fatherly figure for me. He has left an impeccable impression on my life and loved me as his son. He was very soft spoken and was always concerned about the well being of others. He very strongly believed in the educational empowerment of the society which is evident from the establishment of the New Horizan School in New Delhi which is considered as one of the best schools in Delhi where urdu as a language is mandatory. He was a true urdu lover and served the urdu community in a great manner by encouraging the poets and writers assisting them to publish their poetry and the work and also helped them financially. He championed the cause of the education and never believed in the self promotion or publicity. He had organized many mushairas and was the live wire of many literary activities. Shri Shanker Dayal Sharma, the then President of India used to invite Janab Iqbal Chaudhry saheb in the mushairas at the Rashtrapati Bhavan and they both shared a very special bonding and friendship.

Janab Iqbal Ahmed Chaudhry saheb, Dilp Kumar saheb and others

Janab Iqbal Ahmed Chaudhry saheb speaking at the function

Among his close associates and friends were Janab Yousuf Khan saheb (Dilip Kumar), Janab Kaifi Azmi saheb, Janab Javed Akhter saheb, Janab Shafi Qureishi saheb and Janab Arif Mohammed Khan saheb. He sometimes used to write the poetry and read that in the selected mushairas. He figured in the historic book called “Bijnor ke Jawahar”. There are only nine persons who have figured in this book for their services during the last fifty years.

Janab Iqbal Ahmed Chaudhry saheb and Dilip Kumar saheb

Hyderabad has always been very close to his heart. He had substantial business interest in Hyderabad and his youngest son Mr.Parvez Chaudhry lives in the city of pearls which is famous in attracting the gems. Janab Iqbal Ahmed Chaudhry saheb loved the Ganga Jamuni culture of Hyderabad. He had few very close friends here and among them are Janab Mohd.Khaleelur Rahman saheb Ex.M.P., Janab Abdullah Patni saheb, a renowned Transporter and the owner of Batco Roadways, and Mr.Mangal Singh Sarna, Janab MY Khan saheb who was his business associate when Janab Iqbal Ahmed Chaudhry saheb first came to Hyderabad and the relation grew so strong that Janab Chaudhury saheb fell in love with this place. He always used to look forward to visiting Hyderabad especially for its literary and the poetic activities. He attended many mushairas alongwith Janab Khaleelur Rahman saheb and Janab Dr.Syed Abdul Mannan saheb in urdu Hall Himayat Nagar.

He had very good friends in almost everywhere in the country. In Hyderabad, his client who later became his good friend is the Promoter of Fenoplast, Shri.Haridas Kishen saheb. Like wise in Mumbai he had a brother like friend Shri Sohan Lal Sachdeva ji, in Kolkotta Shri Malhotra ji, in Jaipur Shri Joginder ji and in Indore Shri Seth Tarachand ji. These are some of the names who treated Janab Iqbal Chaudhry saheb more than a member of their families. He just not believed in secularism but practiced it in his real life too.

His role in the elections of former Indian Captain Mohammed Azharuddin has been very active but silent. Sitting in Delhi, he ran the telecampaign for Mr.Mohd.Azharuddin and I remember, when I first shared the news of Mr.Mohd.Azharuddin contesting from Moradabad, he felt so happy and when Mr.Mohd.Azharuddin visited Janab Iqbal Ahmed Chaudhry saheb to seek his blessings after getting the Congress party ticket from Moradabad, Janab Iqbal Ahmed Chaudhry saheb told him "Beta fikr mat karo, tum jeet gaye hai" and thats what exactly happened. That was his prediction for which he did his part of mobilising the support in Mr.Mohd.Azharuddin's favour in the entire Moradabad Parliamentary Constituency. He is such a popular figure in Moradabad Constituency and I must say that he just simply did’nt rule the hearts of the people but he lives there in their hearts today also.

Some of his memorable pictures

He breathed his last on March 27, 2011 in New Delhi at his East Nizamuddin residence. He left behind my aunty who is a very pious and strong woman. As there is a saying that behind every man’s success, there is a sacrifice and encouragement of a woman and my aunty palyed a very important role in the success of Uncle Iqbal Ahmed Chaudhry saheb. He has three sons very able, dynamic and kind hearted Mr.Sultan Iqbal Chaudhry, Mr.Javed Iqbal  Chaudhry, Mr.Parvez Iqbal Chaudhry and a daughter Ms.Tabassum Manzar. Mr.Sultan Chaudhry looks after his transport business of Delhi Branch and is also socially very active and inherited the spirit of social service in his legacy of his legendry father. He is also the trustee and the board member of the New Horizan School, New Delhi. Mr.Javeed Iqbal Chaudhry lives in Chennai and looks after the transport business. The youngest and the dearest of all Mr.Parvez Iqbal Chaudhry  lives in Hyderabad and is a socially and politically very active person.

People come and people go but some come and leave their marks with a very strong message for the  humanity. I pray to Allah swt to grant the highest place in Jannah to Uncle Iqbal Ahmed Chaudhry saheb…Ameen

Guzar Ja Ban Ke Seel-E-Tund Ro Koh-E-Byaban Se
Gulistan Rah Mein Aye To Joo’ay Naghma Khawan Ho Ja

Pass like a river in full spate through the mountains and the deserts;
If the garden should come your way, then become a melodiously singing stream.

Khaleequr Rahman: Thousands turn up in Meerut for Rahul ji's Rally

Khaleequr Rahman: Thousands turn up in Meerut for Rahul ji's Rally: Shri Jayant Chowdhury, Shri Rahul Gandhi ji, Shri Ajit Singh, Shri Rasheed Masood and Shri Dig Vijaya Singh ji at a Rally in Meerut This fi...

Thousands turn up in Meerut for Rahul ji's Rally

Shri Jayant Chowdhury, Shri Rahul Gandhi ji, Shri Ajit Singh, Shri Rasheed Masood and Shri Dig Vijaya Singh ji

at a Rally in Meerut

This first massive rally of Congress - RLD Allaince was held ahead of the elections in the Uttar Pradesh that begin on February 8 though this western Uttar Pradesh area goes to the polls only on February 28.

The atmosphere was jubiliant and the entire Meerut city was wearing a festive look. The boys, the girls, the ladies, the men and the elders were all equally excited to have a glimpse of their beloved and the favourite leader and the youth Icon Rahul ji.  As Rahul ji alongwith Shri Dig Vijaya Singh ji, Shri Ajit Singh ji, Shri Rasheed Masood ji, Shri Jayant Chowdhury ji  entered the venue, the thousands of men, women and children packed into Ram Leela Grounds knew no bounds of joy and were seen dancing and waving flags to welcome Rahul ji. There was a sea of humanity wherever my eyes could see. There were people standing on the roof tops dancing and waving flags when the election song of the Congress, Uthoo, jaago, badlo Uttar Pradesh! (Arise, awaken and change Uttar Pradesh), sung to the tune of Jai Ho, was played. They were seeing a hope in Rahul ji. They had gathered to take a vow to oust the Mayawati government. I have heard the youngsters discussing when the arrival of Rahul ji in Meerut can bring so much of joy, then imagine the joy the congress would bring into the state when voted into power.

Rahul ji in his speech said that "We are not giving you any unrealistic promises. The only promise is that we will listen to you, as the UPA governments led by Manmohan Singhji and [UPA chairperson] Soniaji did,".   Rahul Gandhi ji said Congress-led governments had implemented several pro-poor programmes such as the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act and the UID project. And so it was re-elected in 2009.  He said in his speech that the Mayawati's government has become infamous for corruption, oppressing farmers and misusing central government funds. He said that Mulayam Singh Yadav is no better  and criticised him for making unrealistic promises like free electricity.  He said "If you ask Mulayam singh ji to change the blue skies to green, he will readily promise that too."

Shri Dig Vijaya singh ji said that the people of UP now want a change and they are fed up with the corrput regime of Mayawati. He has justified the 4.5% quota for the minoties and said that after the elections, the congress would make it 9%.

Ajit Singh ji praising Rahul Gandhi ji,  said young leaders like him were pursuing an agenda of development.  RLD leader Ajit Singh ji supported job quotas for Jats and backward Muslims, calling it "social justice".

I was talking to the people from different walks of life in the Meerut city and the rural areas. They are all fed up with the politics of Mayawati and Mulayam isngh Yadav. For the last 22 years, the Uttar Pradesh and the people of Uttar Pradesh have been deprived of the progress and the development and an AAM AADMI had been suffering for the basic necessities of life. They have been used as the vote bank based on the caste and the religion for the last 22 years. They now want the CHANGE and they beleive that it is only the CONGRESS with the devotion of Rahul Gandhi ji and under the dynamic and the sincere leadership of Sonia Gandhi ji and Manmohan Singh ji will make them realise their dreams, the dreams of a better UP, the dreams of a developed UP, the dreams of a propsperous UP.