The day has seen another controversy too just after the first incident took place. Rahul Gandhi opened his party's UP campaign with a frontal attack on Mayawati, saying people from Uttar Pradesh are being forced to go and beg in Maharashtra, the comments which invited severe criticism by many in the political circle.
Congressmen Jitin Prasada and Pramod Tewari were seen hitting and kicking two suspected Samajwadi Party workers. This was just before the start of Rahul Gandhi's Phulpur rally. Prasada is also a union minister. Both were caught on camera kicking the men, who had broken the security cordon and waved black flags at Rahul.
The protestors were immediately picked up by the police and taken away for questioning.
Later, Rahul attacked Mayawati, terming her chief ministerial tenure as mafia raj.
Rahul Gandhi hit the campaign trail in UP by addressing a rally in his great grandfather Pandit Nehru's constituency Phulpur on Nehru's birth anniversary.
Rahul came out all guns blazing against Mayawati, accusing her of misgovernance, misuse of central funds and corruption raj in UP. He also cited atrocities against farmers of Bhatta Parsaul.
He launched a poll tirade against the UP CM, playing the poor and the non-development card. He lashed out at the CM for the misuse of central funds and the overall state of corruption that has seeped in the state.
Rahul accused Mayawati government of being run by a mafia and siphoning off funds given by centre for welfare schemes.
And then came the shocker. Pointing out that UP was lagging behind other states and that there was little development, Rahul questioned the migration of workers from UP to Maharashtra and Punjab in search of jobs. He asked why should people from UP beg for jobs? Why didn't Mayawati's reign ensure employment?
"When will the youth of UP wake up? Till what time will you beg in Maharashtra? Till when will you work as labourers in Punjab?," Rahul Gandhi said.
Rahul told the idea of a government which belonged to all and not just one caste but speaking of weavers, sachar report for minorities and dalits, Rahul too couldnt escape the compulsions of a caste ridden UP politics.
After the Rahul rally, Mayawati hit back at him in characteristic style, getting her state president to respond to all the barbs from Rahul.
Taking strong exception to Rahul's comment on UP migrant workers being forced to work as beggars in Maharasthra, she said, "People from UP are not beggars, they are hardworkers who go and work hard in different states."
And just to remind that she too could be the champion of all sections, she released Rs 45 crore on Monday itself for modernisation of madrasas.
After Rahul Gandhi stirred a controversy by asking people from UP to stop begging in big cities like Mumbai, MNS chief Raj Thackeray took a dig at Rahul Gandhi.
"I want to know who Rahul's advisors are. Atleast he is aware of the load that Mumbai is facing. The Gandhi family has been in power for so long. They are responsible for the situation," he said.
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