Smriti Irani dares Rahul Gandhi to take out money from tea traders in Gujarat

Union Minister and BJP MP Smriti Irani on Tuesday dared Congress chief Rahul Gandhi to “take out money” from the pockets of small tea traders of Gujarat and to contest elections from the State if he has “guts”.

She additionally alleged the Congress’ “hatred and prejudice” in direction of Gujarat and its folks was not new, “as Rahul Gandhi and his party had objected to the proposal to build the Statue of Unity in the memory of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in Gujarat”.

Ms. Irani was referring to the remarks made by the previous Congress chief at a ballot rally in Assam in which he spoke about climbing the day by day wage of tea staff by making tea backyard homeowners from Gujarat pay, if his celebration is voted to energy in that State.

“Rahul Gandhi recently said in a rally in Assam that he will take out money from the pockets of small tea traders of Gujarat. Earlier, they [Congress] had issues with the tea seller [PM Narendra Modi], and now they have problems with those who drink tea,” Ms. Irani mentioned at a public rally for upcoming elections to native our bodies held at Vansda city in Navsari district.

“I want to challenge Rahul Gandhi to try (‘azma lo’) Gujarat if he has guts. I also challenge him to contest polls from Gujarat. That will clear all his misconceptions,” the Minister for Textiles and Women & Child Development mentioned.

Rahul Gandhi had mentioned the Congress will hike the day by day wages of tea backyard staff if voted to energy in Assam.

“Tea garden workers of Assam get ₹167 per day, while traders from Gujarat get tea gardens. The Congress will put ₹365 as daily wage into the pockets of the tea garden workers. Now you will ask me where will the money come from?…It will come from the traders of Gujarat,” he had mentioned.

Ms. Irani mentioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the folks of Gujarat had provide you with the concept of developing a grand monument devoted to Sardar Patel.

“However, Rahul Gandhi and his family objected to this proposal as their entire politics was always about erasing Sardar Patel’s name from the pages of history,” mentioned Ms. Irani.

She alleged that when individuals are donating iron articles to construct Patel’s statue, “I thought that Congress leaders would shun that prejudice and join this movement”.

“But, they could not remove that hatred and prejudice towards Gujarat and Gujaratis from their minds. As instructed by Rahul and his mother [Sonia Gandhi], the Opposition party disrespected the Statue of Unity,” the BJP MP alleged.

Elections to six municipal companies in Gujarat will take place on February 21. Polling for 81 municipalities, 31 district panchayats and 231 taluka panchayats is scheduled on February 28.