He was speaking after inaugurating Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Petroleum Technology (RGIPT) in Bahadurpur (Jais) here, the parliamentary constituency of Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi.
The foundation stone of the institute, built at the cost of Rs 538 crore, was laid by Rahul in 2008.
Attacking the Congress vice president, Pradhan said he wrote a letter to the local MP inviting him for the function but he "refused" to accept it.
The Congress vice president said that he was happy that "this historical effort of ours is moving forward".
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He had reminded Pradhan that it was the then UPA government which had enacted the Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Petroleum Technology Act, 2007, to make the RGIPT an institute of national importance in the field of petroleum technology and allied energy sectors with significant budgetary support.
Union Textile Minister Smriti Irani was also present on the ocasion.