PM keeps focus on Muslims

Aa copy of his speech in Urdu was also distributed at the venue.

The Prime Minister regretted that despite the fact that the state had a large minority population, their education levels were poorer compared to other communities.

8220;Their children don8217;t get jobs and so there is largescale unemployment in the community,8221; he said and reiterated that it was due to these reasons that the Sachar Committee was constituted.

8220;We have taken some steps to improve their condition but there is still a lot to be done,8221; he said. On the the Congress agenda, he added, were more schools and hospitals in the Muslim-dominated areas of the region.

The Prime Minister also issued an invitation to a delegation of religious Muslim leaders, including Maulana Waliullah, Mufti-e-Sheher of Gorakhpur, and Maulana Junaid Alam Nadvi, the district president of Jama-e-Ulema.

Later Mufti-e-Sheher told The Indian Express that he had promised the PM that the leaders of the community will appeal to the Muslims to support the Congress.

The Prime Minister in his address claimed that the focus of the Central Government was improving the deplorable condition of the minority community and ensuring overall development of the region.

Claiming that there was every possibility that thousands more may die of Japanese Encephalitis, he said: 8220;You are aware that there was no medicine and no doctor here. Thousands of children lost their lives due to Japanese Encephalitis and thousands have became victim of the disease. The Government of India sent medicines and doctors for you. Otherwise the loss would have been irreparable.8221;

Reminding time and again that he is requesting the people to vote for the Congress on behalf of Sonia Gandhi, Singh said: 8220;Give us one chance and I promise that UP will be developed as one of the best states.8221;