Union Minister Smriti Irani on Saturday accused Congress president Rahul Gandhi of encroaching upon the land of the farmers in Gauriganj in his Lok Sabha constituency Amethi.
"In the 1980s, farmers in Gauriganj gave their land to Congress-led government after they asked for the same to set up a factory. The farmers trusted the Gandhi family and gave up their land.
The Congress party then gave the land to its friend and asked him to run a factory. Their friend ran the factory and soon closed it. The Congress then said that we will buy the land," Irani said while addressing a rally here.
"Rahul Gandhi should give an answer today. He himself encroached the land of farmers in Gauriganj, which falls in his Lok Sabha constituency... The people of Amethi have decided to not vote for Rahul Gandhi this time," she added.
Speaking at the rally, Irani also took a jibe at the SP-BSP alliance in the state.
She said, "When an elephant sits on cycle, then the cycle will definitely get punctured. Who wants to ride a punctured cycle?"
Polling in Uttar Pradesh will take place in all seven phases of polling, starting April 11. Counting of votes will take place on May 23.