Rahul Gandhi has cheated people of Amethi: Smriti Irani

Amethi: Sharpening her attack on Rahul Gandhi, Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani on Sunday accused the Congress Vice-President of cheating the people of his Lok Sabha constituency, whom he had described as his extended family.

"Rahul has not fulfilled his responsibility towards his extended family. What can a country expect of a person who does not fulfil his responsibility towards his family," Irani told reporters, wrapping up her two-day visit to Amethi.

Irani, who had lost to Rahul in the Lok Sabha elections, alleged that the Congress MP has cheated his constituency in the name of development.

The minister also questioned the development work carried out by Rahul in his constituency. "I observed billboards talking about laying foundations but no work was seen on the ground during my regular visits to Amethi in the past one-and-a-half year," she said, adding that she spoke to the district magistrate on the issue.

The HRD minister assured the people that the land grabbed by Samrat Bicycles Limited will be either given back to farmers concerned or a factory will be set up there, and one member of each family will be employed.

The land concerned was registered by Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Trust in its account a few months back and later a court ordered that the land be returned to Uttar Pradesh State Industrial Development Corporation (UPSIDC).

Irani said she has talked to the district magistrate in this regard and if needed, she would also speak to the Chief Minister. Noting that "skill development" was the need of the hour, Irani also said the Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Information Technology (RGIIT) has failed to address the issues of the youth of Amethi.

She hit out at the "inability" of Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Information Technology at Tikarmafi in addressing the issues of the local youth and stated that the youth can benefit from a sound skill development programme.

Irani said that with the help of Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Rajiv Pratap Rudy, each girl and boy of 980 villages of the district will have their skills developed within one year.