Congress General Secretary UP-East Priyanka Gandhi Vadra offer prayers at Kantit Sharif Mazar during 'Ganga yatra’, in Mirzapur district
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi on Tuesday said the reality is different from what the Uttar Pradesh government has been portraying and there is an expiry date to the "rant" that nothing was done in the past 70 years.
The Congress general secretary in charge of east Uttar Pradesh was responding to a question on the Adityanath government's "report card" on completion of two years in office, highlighting various achievements and welfare schemes.
"They (the BJP) need to come to the ground to see the reality. This report card and publicity look good, but the reality is different... all sections are feeling harassed," she said.
"There is a big difference between poll promises and fulfilling them. As far as the rant about (no development in) 70 years is concerned, it has an expiry date. You are in the government for the past five years, what have you done in five years?" she asked.
She was interacting with reporters at a guest house here in Bhadohi district, where she had a night halt during her three-day boat journey on the Ganga to meet people living on the river bank as part of her election campaign.
Addressing a press conference on the completion of two years in office, Adityanath had earlier said in Lucknow, "What Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party and four generations of the Congress of Priyanka could not do, Modi has done and proved."
"The yatra undertaken by Priyanka on the Ganga proves we have done development," he said, adding that it was because of Prime Minister Narendra Modi that the river has become fit for navigation and aachman (self-purification before doing worship)
"Now, the Congress has no right to raise questions on the nirmalta (purity) of the river," he said.
"It would have been better if Priyanka had brought Rahul (Gandhi) and friends from the SP and the BSP for the boat ride, and thanked the prime minister," he added.
The 47-year-old Congress leader also offered prayers at the Sitamarhi temple here before setting off for her next stop Mirzapur.
In her interaction with reporters, Priyanka Gandhi said nothing has been done on the ground in the state during Adityanath's rule.
"I am meeting people from different sections of society every day, and I am getting to know how students, youngsters, 'shiksha mitras', anganwadi workers and ASHA workers are feeling harassed," she said.
"At some places, it was announced that they will get a salary of Rs 17,000, but till now they have got nothing. For the past two years, they are getting Rs 8,000," she added.
Asked about UP Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma's allegation that she and Congress president Rahul Gandhi come to the state only for a picnic during elections and disappear after that, she retorted, "Well, I haven't been to Italy in the past three-four years. I should, in fact, go to see my grandmother."
The Congress leader also held a closed door meeting with her party workers and gave them various instructions for elections in Bhadohi.
After a darshan at the Janki temple, she travelled by road to visit carpet weaver Phoolchand Yadav's house in Bankat village and later to meet an old Congress worker Sridhar in Khodopur village.
While interacting with villagers, Priyanka Gandhi was quick to help an enthusiastic woman supporter, whose saree had stuck in a bush. She also gave her a warm hug before leaving.
She reached Mirzapur later by road, and paid obeisance at the famous Ma Vindhyawasini temple and Kantit Dargah and took a boat for her onward journey to Varanasi.
