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Mulayam demands apology from Sheila

Special Correspondent

"Misleading statements on unemployment dole"

U.P. Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav.

LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav on Monday demanded an apology from Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit for issuing allegedly misleading statements about unemployment dole. Continuing with his anti-Centre tirade, the Chief Minister also accused the UPA Government at the Centre of creating obstacles in implementation of development schemes.

Addressing a public meeting at the historic Phoolbagh in Kanpur after distributing unemployment allowance to youths from Kanpur Nagar and Kanpur Dehat districts, Mr. Yadav rejected the Delhi Chief Minister's charge that unemployment dole was being distributed from Central funds. The UP Chief Minister reiterated that the State's own resources were the source of money for the allowance, and what Ms. Dikshit had said was not true.

Mr. Yadav was reacting to Ms. Dikshit's reported statement made at a function in Kanpur last week.

Alleging that the Central Government's role in this regard was that of non-cooperation, Mr. Yadav revealed that he had written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on June 12, 2004, for providing funds for giving monthly allowance to educated unemployed. "However, the Prime Minister informed me through the Union Labour Ministry that the Central Government has no policy of giving dole to unemployed youth."

Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit.

Meanwhile, the Congress president and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi is scheduled to launch her party's election campaign from the same venue in Kanpur on August 8. The Congress is likely to come up with "Mulayam, Pradesh chhodo" slogans on the lines of "Angrezo. Bharat chhodo" as Ms. Gandhi's public meeting will be held on the eve of Quit India Day or August Kranti Diwas on August 9.

In fact, Mr. Yadav attributed the corruption, price rise and unemployment to the policies pursued by the Central Government, and stated that whereas the Centre was promoting new power projects in other states, hurdles were being created in Dadri.

Without naming former Prime Minister Vishwanath Pratap Singh, the UP Chief Minister accused him of betraying the farmers when he was Chief Minister of UP, and later, when he became Prime Minister. Mr. Yadav said not only did Mr. Singh scuttle the proposal to grant a loan waiver to farmers, he was also instrumental in raising the price of fertilizers.

He recalled that in 1990 (during Mr. Yadav's first term as Chief Minister) he ensured that there was no increase in fertilizer prices. Those who were now opposing the Dadri project were known for exploiting the farmers, he charged.

Unemployment allowance was given to 13,700 unemployed graduates and postgraduates from Kanpur Nagar and Kanpur Dehat districts. The Chief Minister gave the allowance cheques to 65 boys and girls.

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