Union minister Smriti Irani’s visit to Amethi has visibly rattled the local Congress functionaries in the town. The rousing welcome that Smriti Irani received in Amethi seems to have caused some hand-wringing among the Congress leaders. Just a day after Irani’s visit to Amethi where she inaugurated the district’s first government CT Scan Center, Congress district chief of Amethi, Yogendra Mishra has penned down an open letter ridiculing Smriti Irani.
In the letter, the Congress district chief Mishra strangely inquires about the paucity of doctors in the district, almost pinning the blame on Irani for the scarcity. However, he would do well to realise that his party’s President Rahul Gandhi is an MP from Amethi, and not Irani and it was his own party, the Congress that was in power in the country from 2004 to 2014. The fact that Congress district chief Mishra expects Irani to address Amethi’s grievances speaks volumes of how dismissive Rahul Gandhi has been towards Amethi and how Smriti Irani’s relentless work has kindled hopes among the locals from her including the opposition in the disregarded town.
Moving along, Mishra also pointed towards Irani’s silence when migrant workers from UP and Bihar were getting flogged in BJP ruled Gujarat. However, he once again shot himself in the foot. The violence against North Indians in Gujarat was incited by Congress leader Alpesh Thakor, who enjoys Rahul Gandhi’s patronage. If Mishra is really concerned about the abject state of UPites in Gujarat, he should, perhaps, ask why Alpesh Thakor was given a clean chit by Gujarat Congress despite the evidence suggesting the opposite.
Thirdly, Mishra also questioned about Smriti Irani’s religion on the latter’s disapproval of ‘Janeu-Dhari’ Rahul Gandhi’s Hindu credentials. Irani questioned Rahul’s Hindu credentials after the Congress President had declared that ‘Ram Mandir’ is a non-issue for him and Congress. Mishra, however, should come clean on his party’s stand vis-a-vis Lord Ram. Congress had in the past raised questions on the existence of Lord Ram. Congress’ spokespersons routinely mock Hindu epics of Ramayana and Mahabharata and contest their validity. If this is not enough, there are umpteen instances of anti-Hindu tendencies professed by Congress and its leaders.
So, instead of targeting Smriti Irani, who is tirelessly working for the welfare of the people in Amethi, Congress district chief of Amethi, Yogendra Mishra and other Congress leaders should introspect the glaring duplicity in their party’s attitude and perhaps raise their grievances to the three-time Member of Parliament from Amethi, Congress President Rahul Gandhi.
