'Many Like You Come And Go But Hindutva...': Smriti Irani Slams Rahul Gandhi

Union Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Smriti Irani, who had defeated Congress leader Rahul Gandhi from his family stronghold Amethi in the last Lok Sabha, slammed her old rival in Tamil Nadu’s Chennai, saying  people like him have come and gone, but “Hindustan is, was, and will remain.”

Irani, while campaigning for BJP’s central Chennai candidate Vinoj P Selvam in the city’s Veppery district, stressed the significance of the completion of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, and pointed out instances in states like West Bengal and Kerala where opposition to the chant of ‘Jai Shri Ram’ led to violence.

“If my voice reaches Rahul Gandhi, then I want to tell him that many like you have come and many have gone; Hindustan is, was, and will remain,” Union Minister for Women and Child Development said on Saturday.

“There are states in this country where INDI alliance partners killed people for saying ‘Jai Shri Ram’. It happened in West Bengal and Kerala. Today, it is our greatest fortune that we are standing here with our heads bowed at the feet of Lord Ram. The date was told, the temple was built, and see the glory of Lord Ram that those people who denied his existence, Lord Ram called them also,” she added.

She further slammed Congress and other INDIA bloc members for not attending the ‘Pran Prathishtha’ ceremony of Ayodhya Ram Mandir and said the arrogance of these leaders was evident as they even rejected the leadership of Ram.

The Pran Pratishtha ceremony in Ayodhya took place on January 22, 2024.

Irani, who is touring the southern states for Lok Sabha 2024 poll campaigning, went to Gandhi’s current constituency in Kerala’s Wayanad on Friday, where she slammed the Gandhi family for failing to do anything for their traditional seat — Amethi in Uttar Pradesh.

“Just like how Rahul was booted out from Amethi, this time, the same will happen at Wayanad,” she said.

Voting for all 39 Lok Sabha seats in Tamil Nadu and the only constituency in Puducherry will be held in the first phase on April 19. The counting of votes will be on June 4.