BHUBANESWAR: Union minister Smriti Zubin Irani on Tuesday took on Congress president
Rahul Gandhi for the latter’s fund-raising move for upgradation of a hospital in Rourkela. Smriti said the Congress president's action is 'ironical'as he has failed to ensure health services to his voters and citizens in his constituency of Amethi.
“The foundation stone of the first office of chief medical officer in Amethi was laid last year when Amit Shah went with me and UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath. The Congress president in his own constituency till date has not been able to ensure health services for voters and citizens of Amethi,” Irani said. Rahul had targeted Prime Minister Modi when Muktikanta Biswal, a man from Rourkela went on a foot march to Delhi over establishment of a super specialty hospital announced by the PM in 2015.
Irani also criticised the the BJD government in Odisha for its failure on all fronts, especially education, health and law and order. "The failure of the BJD will help the
BJP in meeting the target of 120 seats in the coming assembly polls, she said.
“The overwhelming support of people of Odisha will help the BJP achieve the target of 120 seats,” she said adding BJP president Amit Shah will discuss strategies with party workers for the ensuing polls during his scheduled visit to the state on July 1.
Irani called upon the Odisha government to implement the Ayushman Bharat scheme for the sake of cooperative federalism. “I am hopeful that the state government in conjunction with the central government will respond to the health needs of people of Odisha and diligently and ensure the implementation of the scheme,” she pointed out.
She was in city to attend the nation-wide campaign to mark Emergency as ‘black day. She said, as a representative of the BJP I have come to Odisha just to pay homage to each of them who sacrificed to protect democracy by opposing Emergency and went to jail.
“I have come here to pay tributes to 900 Satyagrahis and 300 MISA (The Maintenance of Internal Security Act) prisoners of Odisha for their sacrifices to protect democracy during the 1975 Emergency,” she said.
She named the prominent leaders including Dr Harekrushna Mahatab, Biju Patnaik, Nabakrushna Choudhury, Rabi Ray, Biswabhusan Harichandan and others.
Without naming anyone, Irani said India had to face internal emergency for on June 25, 1975 for the political gain and benefit of ‘one family’. Lakhs of people in the country lost their constitutional and fundamental rights for no fault of theirs. False cases were made against two lakh people. The internal emergency was imposed just for one family.” The whole country has been observing emergency as ‘Black Day’ and one of the dark episodes in the history of India. “We all must take a pledge to honour and protect democracy in any situation,” she added.
The minister also visited Weavers’ Service Centre in Saheed Nagar and attended a meeting of intellectuals.
Smriti Irani (PTI photo)