Smriti Irani asks Rahul Gandhi to follow Covid protocol during Bharat Jodo Yatra - Hindustan Times
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Smriti Irani asks Rahul Gandhi to follow Covid protocol during Bharat Jodo Yatra

Dec 27, 2022 01:04 AM IST

A few days back, Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya had written to Rahul Gandhi, as well as Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot, to ensure Covid-19 guidelines during the Bharat Jodo Yatra.

A week after asking Rahul Gandhi whether he would recontest from Amethi in 2024 Lok Sabha polls, Union minister Smriti Irani has advised the senior Congress leader to follow the Covid-19 protocol.

Union minister Smriti Irani interacts with a senior citizen during her visit to her Lok Sabha constituency Amethi on Sunday. (SOURCED IMAGE)
Union minister Smriti Irani interacts with a senior citizen during her visit to her Lok Sabha constituency Amethi on Sunday. (SOURCED IMAGE)

Smriti’s “act responsibly” advice to Gandhi was made from Amethi, where she had defeated him in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, before Gandhi is to enter Uttar Pradesh with his over 100-day old ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ on January 3.

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The Congress has extended an invite to opposition leaders like Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and BSP chief Mayawati, too, to be part of the yatra.

Soon after arriving in Amethi on Sunday, Smriti Irani was asked about the Bharat Jodo Yatra and fresh concerns over Covid-19’s new variant.

“Rahulji must follow Covid guidelines and understand his responsibilities towards the public,” Smriti said.

She is the second Modi minister to advise Gandhi to follow Covid guidelines during his yatra.

A few days back, Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya had written to Rahul Gandhi, as well as Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot, to ensure Covid-19 guidelines during the Bharat Jodo Yatra.

To another question on Gandhi often accusing the Modi government of acting at the behest of two top industrialists, she said: “In Congress-ruled states, too, these companies owned by these industrialists work and Rahulji himself shares the stage with them on such occasions. Does it then mean that he is colluding with the industrialists?” she asked.

The Congress hit back at the BJP, claiming that it showed that the ruling party feared Rahul’s yatra was gaining traction and hence was conspiring to stop it.

“Let those doling out unsolicited advice know that the government is yet to come up with any guidelines nationally. Are Covid concerns selective and meant only for Congress-ruled states and its leaders? We will follow all guidelines once the government readies a uniform protocol and yes, let us not forget that it was Rahulji who had first advised the government to brace up for the Covid challenge, an advice that was ignored and implemented after much damage,” said Congress leader Ashok Singh.

A week ago, Smriti had while reacting to Congress leader Ajay Rai’s jibe directed at her and his claim that Gandhi would again contest from Amethi in 2024, asked Gandhi to clear the air on the issue.

“I heard that through one of your provincial leaders, you got an announcement made, in a most indecent manner at that, about your intent to recontest 2024 LS polls from Amethi. So, should I take it as certain that you would contest from Amethi and won’t run away to contest from another seat,” she had tweeted.

The context was Rahul contesting from two constituencies –Amethi in Uttar Pradesh and Wayanad in Kerala – in 2019 LS polls. Despite his defeat from the family’s traditional seat of Amethi, from where he had been a four-term MP, Rahul had won by a big margin from Wayanad.

In Amethi, Smriti Irani also launched several projects and listened to PM’s radio programme ‘Mann ki Baat’ during her visit.

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  • ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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    Manish Chandra Pandey is a Lucknow-based Senior Assistant Editor with Hindustan Times’ political bureau in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. Along with political reporting, he loves to write offbeat/human interest stories that people connect with. Manish also covers departments. He feels he has a lot to learn not just from veterans, but also from newcomers who make him realise that there is so much to unlearn.

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