Union Textiles Minister Smriti Irani on Monday accused the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) of "breeding poverty, illiteracy and graft" in Uttar Pradesh.
At a rally in Basti, the Minister said that time had come for these parties to be thrown out and for the BJP to be voted in.
"In the forthcoming state assembly elections, the people of Uttar Pradesh will seek answers from these parties and express their solidarity with the BJP," Irani said.
Attacking Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi for what she called was "fake love for Dalits", the Union Minister said the Gandhi scion knew very well that his party was responsible for the poor state of Dalits and other deprived castes in the country, adding that his love for the downtrodden was "nothing but a sham".
She also announced the setting up of a coordination centre and a design workshop for artisans in Basti and said tools for handicrafts would be provided free of cost to BPL families.
A registration camp would also be organised soon to register artisans in the region, she added.
--IANS
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