Rahul Gandhi goes to poor people's houses to 'show-off', says Smriti Irani

Union Minister Smriti Irani on Thursday used the occasion of B R Ambedkar's birth anniversary to take potshots at Rahul Gandhi, saying he goes to poor people's houses for "showoff" unlike Prime Minister Narendra Modi who does not do so and understands what poverty means.

She also congratulated Modi for his efforts that led the UN to observe the 125th birth anniversary of Ambedkar for the first time.

The prime minister was working to fulfil Ambedkar's dreams of making India a prosperous country and removing inequality by uplifting the Dalits and the down trodden, she said.

In a dig at Gandhi, Irani said that the Congress vice president was going to poor people's houses along with journalists, whereas "our Prime Minister ate at a langar (free lunch) here in the nearby Sant Ravidas temple just like any ordinary citizen".

"Our PM has faced poverty from his childhood, he used to assist his family in selling tea at the railway station, he doesn't need to go anywhere (like that leader) for showoff. He can very well understand what poverty means for poor," the Union Minister told a gathering at Modi's newly-adopted village Nagepur under the 'Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana'.

Modi has also adopted Jayapur village in his parliamentary constituency.

Irani also dedicated a digitalised Anganwadi centre cum Nand ghar and unveiled Ambedkar's statue in the village on the occasion.