The SDM is correct: 5 reasons why Rahul is no son of Amethi

Rahul Gandhi is once again making news for all the wrong reasons. The latest gaffe is the embarrassing rejection of his application seeking proof of residence in Amethi. The sub-divisional magistrate damningly declared that the Gandhi scion didn’t qualify even as an “occasional resident” of the constituency. Harsh words, perhaps, but not far off the mark. Here are five signs why Amethi is really Rahul Gandhi’s step-matra bhoomi. One, the no-to-MNREGA constituency. During each one of his campaign rallies, Rahul likes to tout the virtues of UPA’s flagship program and the many benefits it has showered on the citizens of India – but not apparently, the citizens of Amethi. As the Daily Mail reports: [caption id=“attachment_1464375” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Rahul Gandhi in Ame[/caption] Although there are 2,37,853 job card holders in Amethi and 84,734 families have got jobs under the scheme in 2012-13, only 1,250 families have got 100 days of work, according to a report of the rural development ministry of the Union government. The scheme promises 100 days of job in a year to its beneficiaries. The state government has spent about 76 per cent of the total fund sanctioned under the scheme in 2012-13, but in Amethi only 50 per cent of the fund has been utilised. The total budget for the job guarantee scheme for Amethi in 2012-13 was Rs 56 crore. Ouch! Surely, any MP would first implement his pet project in his own constituency before spreading the love elsewhere. A priority that apparently didn’t occur to Rahul Gandhi. Two, worst performer in RTE. Rahul also did not find the time to ensure the implementation of that other pet UPA project in his constituency. According to Times of India, only 1 percent of schools in Amethi comply with the Right to Education Act, which is the lowest in a state that is already one of the worst laggards in legislating the new norms. Rahul apparently is all for universal access to education, except in Amethi. Three, Amethi’s road to nowhere. Unlike Narendra Modi’s home state, there is no debate about the level of development in Rahul’s home base. Everyone, including its residents, agree: there is none. So abysmal is its state that even Congress insiders worry  that the natives may finally be getting restless: “Kumar Vishwas’ charge that he sees no real development despite Rahul Gandhi’s claims of spending Rs.55,000 crore here is lapped up,” a party source told IANS. There have also been street protests against a grim power scenario and poor roads in the Munshiganj, Injauna, Jagdishpur and Gauriganj areas. The Congress fears that slogans of “road nahin to vote nahin’ (no roads, no votes) that echoed in Karaundi village in Amethi earlier could revive. Four, no Congress bastion here. Sure, Rahul Gandhi secured 71 percent of all votes in the last Lok Sabha election. But just three years later, Congress lost three out of the five assembly seats in Amethi. An MP who can’t deliver his own constituency must have a weak relationship with it, indeed. Let’s just say Rahul is less lion and more Bambi of Amethi. Five, Who me? Represent Amethi?? A recent performance rating of Members of Parliament released by India Today ranked Rahul at the very bottom of the pile, or as the publication put it: “Among all Congress MPs, Rahul has the fifth worst report card and is placed 17th from the bottom in the overall MP rankings.” The reason for his failing grades: All through the five years of the 15th Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi did not ask a single question in Parliament. He attended only 42.61 percent of the sittings of the Lok Sabha. His attendance record in the standing committees of which he is a member is an abysmal 13.64 percent. Rahul has spent only 53.68 per cent of the MPLADS funds allocated to him. Even the respondents who were polled by ADR in Amethi have a very poor impression of the development work that has been done in the constituency. The Amethi MP has a perception rating of only 5.58 out of 10. Maybe that missing proof of residence isn’t all that surprising after all.