Union minister Smriti Irani on Friday hit out at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his ongoing 'Bharat Jodo Yatra', alleging people with dubious backgrounds accompanied him on the foot march and one of them is said to have shown the way to Pakistani terrorists before they attacked Mumbai in November 2008.
Addressing a rally titled 'Mahtari Hunkar' organized by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s women wing, she also took a dig at Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, saying he is more interested in serving the Gandhi family than the people of the state.
The rally was organized to protest against the “rising” incidents of crime against women in the Congress-ruled Chhattisgarh, at Nehru Chowk in Bilaspur town, around 125km away from the state capital Raipur. It was preceded by a protest march.
The women and child development minister took a jibe at Gandhi, whom she had defeated in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls in Amethi, Uttar Pradesh.
"Since the day we bid farewell to Rahul Gandhi from Amethi, he has embarked on a 'yatra' of the country which has not been completed yet," said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader.
Irani questioned the presence of some people in the Congress's cross-country march, which started from Tamil Nadu on September 7 and entered Maharashtra two months later.
“His yatra is still going on (referring to Bharat Jodo Yatra) and it is necessary to tell with whom he has been being seen. In
Tamil Nadu, he was seen with a person who had said 'you will fall ill when you step on Indian land'...In Kerala, he was seen with a person who had slaughtered a cow and posted pictures with it on the Internet..,” Irani said without naming anyone.
She further said, “Later Gandhi was seen in the yatra with those who had stated there should be a referendum in Kashmir. Subsequently, he walked with a person who is said to have shown the way to Pakistani terrorists before they attacked Mumbai (26/11 attacks).”
Even after such persons accompanied Gandhi in his yatra, none of the Congress leaders, including Baghel, have dared to say anything so far, the Union minister said.
Alleging the ruling Congress in Chhattisgarh has been involved in the "loot" of public money, Irani asked, “Bhupesh Ji's remote is being controlled by whom -- Sonia ji's (Congress leader Sonia Gandhi) or Soumya ji's?”
Soumya Chaurasia is a deputy secretary in Chief Minister's Office and her premises were recently searched by the Income Tax department and the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
"Congress leaders should tell why 6,000 women were raped under their party's rule in Chhattisgarh... but I know Bhupesh
Baghel will not give an answer to this question as his government is not interested in the welfare of people...it is keen only on robbing common citizens," the BJP leader said.
The Union minister further accused the Chhattisgarh government of failing to properly implement Prime Minister Awas Yojna (PMAY) and asked: “why the Congress snatched 16 lakh houses of poor people”.
Former Chief Minister Raman Singh, state BJP president Arun Sao and Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Narayan Chandel were among BJP leaders who took part in the protest march along with a large number of women party workers.
The protest march started at Jagmal Chowk and concluded at Nehru Chowk, where the rally was held.
(Inputs from PTI)
