Union minister Smriti Irani at a rally in Amethi.
Four days after Mr Gandhi addressed a rally, promising the constituency a “kurta-pajama sarkaar” — a government of and for the common man as opposed to his oft mentioned suit-boot government of Narendra Modi — Ms Irani held her own rally in Amethi this morning. And her charges ranged from broken promises, to corruption and even short memory.
“The people of Amethi were expecting a railway line from Amethi to Unchahar,” she told the crowd. “But three generations of the Gandhi family could not deliver it… I am happy to say that the rail line has been sanctioned for the first time by the Narendra Modi government.”
Two years ago, Mr Gandhi had earlier laid the foundation of the 67-km long Uchahar-Salon-Amethi rail line, which was to be built at a cost of Rs. 380 crore.
The Rajiv Gandhi Trust wants to buy the commercial land of Samrat Cycle factory in Amethi, which was allotted to the factory on subsidised rates, the minister further said. “However, the factory was not set up. The land should go back to the UPDSIDC (Uttar Pradesh State Industrial Development Corporation),” she added.
She even ridiculed Mr Gandhi’s noting down the pointers for his speeches in Parliament, which had made headlines during the recently concluded monsoon session. “He talks in Parliament for maybe two minutes, but even for that he needs written notes,” the minister said.
The Congress later called Ms Irani’s comments “wild and baseless allegations”.
“Samrat cycles land was closed down and the land belonging to them was auctioned through Debt Recovery Tribunal under court orders. The Rajiv Gandhi Trust procured the land under court orders in an open transparent fashion,” said senior Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi.
Amethi and Rae Bareli – the family seats of the Gandhis – had also been the only seats the Congress won during last year’s national election in Uttar Pradesh. Ms Irani had contested unsuccessfully against Mr Gandhi but had managed to secure nearly 3 lakh votes.
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