SP, Congress govts ate up rations meant for poor in UP: Smriti Irani

Union minister Smriti Irani on Tuesday claimed that the Samajwadi Party and the Congress governments in Uttar Pradesh deprived the poor of the rations meant for them.

Speaking in Maharajganj, Irani said that earlier, those who took the name of Lord Ram were ridiculed, but now, the BJP government has established 'Ram Rajya' in the state, where women are getting respect and the youth jobs.

"The BJP government has given free rations to the poor, while the earlier governments of the SP and the Congress used to eat up the rations meant for them," she said.

Later, addressing a gathering in the Domariyaganj constituency of Siddharthnagar district, Irani said "(Goddess) Lakshmi ji never rides a cycle or an elephant, she rides a lotus", and appealed to people to vote for the BJP by pressing the button of lotus (election symbol of the BJP) on the EVM.

She also took a jibe at the Samajwadi Party, saying those who had opened fire on 'karsevaks' (in Ayodhya) are now having dreams about Lord Krishna, but Lord Krishna does not support hooligans.

"The cycle people warned others not to take vaccines and named it Modi injection. The SP tried to keep the poor away from vaccines, but no one listened to them and rejected their propaganda," Irani said, apparently referring to the Samajwadi Party.

She also listed various welfare measures initiated by the BJP government.