State Congress chief Raj Babbar took on the three-month old Yogi Adityanath government claiming that the regime had nothing in the name of `good governance’ and hence kept the media and the masses busy by promising CBI probe into alleged corruption by the previous government.
“Yogi had failed on all fronts, including law and order. He had nothing to boast in the name of achievement in the last three months of its existence. So to seek media space, they are just claiming to expose corruption through CBI,” Babbar said while reacting to the government’s claim of ordering CBI probes into corrupt practices by officials.
Babbar was responding to a query on Yogi Aditynath regime recommending a CBI probe into Gomti River front, Waqf Board scam etc.
``You (media) will give space only to CBI probes ... let them do it (and). When the media will lose interest and space dries up, everyone will ask them about work,” he said taking a dig at both Yogi and the media.
To a question on the state government being busy preparing for International Yoga Day function on June 21 at a time when farmers were on the warpath and committing suicides, the Congress leader said, “We are not against Yoga. It is not the heritage of a single party but that of the Sanatan tradition of the country. At the same time, I want to point out that some 80 per cent people do not need Yoga to get a flat belly, as they are struggling to get two square meals,” he said attacking the BJP for using `Yoga’ to divert public attention from basic issues.
Babbar, who launched a statewide stir for farmers issue from June 15, announced that if Yogi did not address problems, then his party with the help of farmers would intensify the agitation across the state.
The state Congress chief announced that even Rahul Gandhi would join them to force the government to concede to farmers’ demands so that the farmers were not forced to end their lives due to penury.
Addressing media persons afterasimple function at state Congress headquarters to celebrate Rahul Gandhi’s 47th birthday on Monday, Babbar said that farmers’ plight was critical in the state.
“When farmers raise their voice, they are beaten with batons and even shot. The problems have far reaching effects. Even schools and banks are not left untouched by it,” he said. “Tomorrow I am going to Hamirpur where four farmers, including a woman, committed suicide recently.On Wednesday, I will be in Kaushambi where a farmer ended his life last week. I will meet their family and assure all help from the party in their struggle,” he said.
Earlier last week, Babbar has held farmers’ chaupals and youths in Aligarh, Agra and Gautam Budha Nagar (Noida) in the last week.
Recounting his interaction, the Congress leader said, “In Samshabad in Agra, a school principal informed us that the wards of farmers were unable to pay fees as potato produce did not fetch them good price. In Aligarh and Noida too, farmers are on the verge of ending lives due to the apathy of the Centre and state government,” he stresses.
Maintaining that farm loan waiver was not the remedy to the farmers’ problem, Babbar said that there should be a mechanism to deal with minimum price of goods produced by farmers.
“Besides, most farmers told me said that they would not be benefited by the state government’s loan waivers as several of them have not been given loan by banks as they defaulted in earlier loans or have already paid their dues as the harvesting season ended,” he added.
After attending several functions to celebrate Rahul Gandhi’s birthday, Babbar later held a chaupal on the outskirts of the state capital in continuance of the statewide stir over farmers’ issues on Monday.