‘Rahul Gandhi Has Venom In His Heart For UP’: Smriti Irani Slams Congress MP’s Remarks On Varanasi

BJP MP Smriti Irani criticised Congress MP Rahul Gandhi for his remarks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's constituency Varanasi after he claimed that he saw people dancing drunk on streets.

File photo of Union Minister Smriti Irani

Source : PTI

New Delhi: Union Minister and BJP MP from Amethi, Smriti Irani on Tuesday slammed Congress MP Rahul Gandhi for his remarks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's constituency Varanasi during his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra. Speaking at Sonia Gandhi's Lok Sabha constituency Raebareily, Rahul claimed that he saw people dancing drunk on Varanasi streets.

Reacting to this, Irani said, "Rahul Gandhi's inappropriate remark shows how much venom he has in his heart for Uttar Pradesh. He made objectionable remarks against voters of UP in Wayanad. Today, he made indecent remarks on Varanasi and youth of Uttar Pradesh. Congress' future is in darkness but UP's future is moving towards development."

VIDEO | Here's what Union Minister Smriti Irani (@smritiirani) said on Rahul Gandhi's purported remarks on youth of Varanasi.

"Rahul Gandhi's inappropriate remark shows how much venom he has in himself for Uttar Pradesh. He made objectionable remarks against voters of UP in… pic.twitter.com/znvIEzjvI5

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) February 20, 2024

In his remarks earlier, Rahul Gandhi said: "I visited Varanasi... Instead of progress, I witnessed a scene where individuals, Uttar Pradesh's future, lying drunk on the streets, dancing in the grip of alcohol." "On the other hand, Ram Mandir is being inaugurated in Ayodhya. You will find Narendra Modi, Adani, Ambani... You won't find people from the backward classes, adivasis, or Dalits...," he said. More On It: Rahul Gandhi's Jibe At PM Modi Constituency, Says UP's Future Dancing Drunk On Streets Of Varanasi

‘Amethi Workers Waiting For Rahul Gandhi’: Smriti Irani As Congress ‘Welcomes’ Challenge For LS Polls

Following Congress leader Jairam Ramesh's announcement over Rahul contesting the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from Uttar Pradesh’s Amethi Lok Sabha constituency, BJP MP Smriti Irani on Tuesday took a dig at Rahul Gandhi, saying, "I am happy that Jairam Ramesh has accepted my challenge that Rahul Gandhi without Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati is ready to contest elections from Amethi…Being an ordinary worker of BJP, I welcome this challenge…Today all of us, Amethi workers will be waiting for Rahul Gandhi to announce this through CEC today. Jairam Ramesh has announced that Rahul Gandhi will contest elections from Amethi without going to Wayanad ..."

#WATCH | Amethi: On the statement of Congress General Secretary (Communication) Jairam Ramesh, Union Minister and Lok Sabha MP from Amethi, Smriti Irani says, "I am happy that Jairam Ramesh has accepted my challenge that Rahul Gandhi without Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati is ready… pic.twitter.com/kozHZdaCy7

— ANI (@ANI) February 20, 2024

Earlier, Congress MP Jairam Ramesh emphasized that the decision regarding Rahul Gandhi's candidacy in Amethi would be made by the Congress Election Committee (CEC) and Rahul Gandhi himself. He said, "CEC, Rahul Gandhi will take this decision (to contest from Amethi) but people want Rahul Gandhi to return. People understand that they made a mistake in 2019 and they want Rahul Gandhi back…It is her (Smriti Irani) democratic right to challenge and we are not running away from any challenge. If Rahul Gandhi decides to contest elections from here (Amethi), he will contest the elections. People are saying that they made a mistake in 2019 and Rahul Bhaiya should contest elections from here (Amethi) and he will win."

#WATCH | Uttar Pradesh: On Union Minister and BJP MP from Amethi Smriti Irani's statement, Congress MP Jairam Ramesh says, "CEC, Rahul Gandhi will take this decision (to contest from Amethi) but people want Rahul Gandhi to return. People understand that they made a mistake in… pic.twitter.com/oMXVGL4oHS

— ANI (@ANI) February 20, 2024

Amethi Becomes Talk Of Town Between Congress And BJP

Notably, CM Himanta also slammed Gandhi scion for coming in poll fray of Amethi again. He remarked, "politicians may commit a mistake, but the people don’t." He said that the people of Amethi did not commit a mistake by voting Rahul Gandhi out from the constituency in the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections. “Speaking from my heart: People do not make mistakes; we, politicians, do wrong. The people of Amethi did not make a mistake; the so-called leader did not serve them well, and so they voted him out,” Chief Minister Sarma wrote on X.

Speaking from my heart: People do not make mistakes; we, politicians, do wrong.
The people of Amethi did not make a mistake; the so-called leader did not serve them well, and so they voted him out. Leaders reform themselves and come before the electorate with humility again,… https://t.co/0qi9WOj7hk

— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) February 20, 2024

Notably, Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra entered Amethi on Monady, where he held road show and public meeting in the Uttar Pradesh town.  Gandhi had represented Amethi in the Lok Sabha for 15 years before he was defeated by Irani in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.