Smriti Irani slams Congress for 'lack of development' in Amethi

Targeting the Congress for the "lack of development" in Amethi, Union minister Smriti Irani on Saturday said works which the Gandhi family ignored for five decades have been done in the four years of the Modi government.

Speaking about the imminent visit of Congress president Rahul Gandhi to the constituency, Smriti said she had fulfilled her promise to Amethi's people that they'd see more of the Gandhi scion thanks to her.

"I had told the country, especially the people, in 2014, that Rahul will be seen more because of me and I am very happy that I have proved what I had said," Smriti told media persons here, on the last day of her two-day visit.

"I thank each and everyone who has helped in development works in this area and Rahulji should come here and see how much work is possible in four years, which his family failed to do in 40 to 50 years," she said.

Smriti had unsuccessfully fought the last Lok Sabha poll against Rahul, but has maintained her links with the constituency ever since.

"In four years, more than 80 development works have been undertaken, including Rs 55 crore for the Swachhata mission to one constituency or making 180 villages ODF (open defecation free)... they all will testify as to how this area had been deprived of development (till now)," said Smriti.

"It is the commitment of the prime minister that despite the BJP candidate not winning the election, the workers and central government in coordination with the state government continued to undertake development works (here)," she said.

Asked about women's security, the Union minister said she had personally met the superintendent of police for setting up help desks for women in all the police stations of the district.

"The question is that for years this (area) has remained the stronghold of the highest leadership of the Congress but the facility of this kind had not been made available in the police stations... who are these people who travel all over the country and discuss Constitution, talk about backwards, farmers and science... but work for all these areas are done by the Narendra Modi government?," she asked.

The BJP leader also paid glowing tributes to Dalit icon Babasaheb Ambedkar on his birth anniversary.