VANSDA: Union minister Smriti Irani on Tuesday dared Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to contest elections from Gujarat if he has “guts”. She also alleged that the Congress’ “hatred and prejudice” towards Gujarat and its people 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”.
Smriti Irani was referring to the remarks made by the former Congress chief at a poll rally in Assam in which he spoke about hiking the daily wage of tea workers by making tea garden owners from Gujarat pay, if his party is voted to power 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,” the Minister for Textiles and Women & Child Development said at a public rally for coming local body elections in the state.
“I want to challenge Rahul Gandhi to try Gujarat if he has guts. I also challenge him to contest polls from Gujarat. That will clear all his misconceptions,” the minister said.