'Copying Gujarat's initiatives doesn't show your smartness': Vijay Rupani hits out at Rahul Gandhi

Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani on Saturday lambasted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for 'copying' Gujarat's initiatives and selling them as his own. He further upped the ante on the Congress MP by adding that the latter should be more concerned about a 'one defeat, one reinvention' policy instead.

For context, Gandhi had shared a news article, from his official Twitter handle, regarding the 'One District, One Product' scheme in Himachal Pradesh, where the state is reportedly conducting a survey to select one district and one product for the central government's Micro and Small Enterprises Cluster Development Programme.

The Congress leader added by saying that this was a good idea and he had suggested it some time back.

"This is a good idea. I had suggested it some time back. Its implementation will need a complete change of mindset," Gandhi tweeted, sharing the news report.

This is a good idea. I had suggested it some time back.

Its implementation will need a complete change of mindset.https://t.co/SFqgkmcwR2

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) July 25, 2020

This attracted the ire of Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, who quoted the Congress leader on his tweet and said that 'copying' Gujarat's initiatives and selling them as his own did not show the latter's 'smartness'.

"Rahul ji, copying Gujarat’s initiatives and selling them as your ideas does not show your smartness," Rupani tweeted, highlighting Gandhi's tweet.

Rahul ji,

Copying Gujarat’s initiatives and selling them as your ideas does not show your smartness.

I don’t expect you to know details of anything, but your script-writers should know better!

How about a ‘One defeat, One reinvention’ policy for you? https://t.co/RreTEOK0IK pic.twitter.com/dtTeaTDj7U

— Vijay Rupani (@vijayrupanibjp) July 25, 2020

Rupani further chided in on his remark, "I don’t expect you to know details of anything, but your script-writers should know better! How about a ‘One defeat, One reinvention’ policy for you?"

He also attached a screenshot of a 2016 tweet from the then Chief Minister of Gujarat, Anandiben Patel, which indeed showed that the concept of 'One Village, One Product' was planned to be initiated in the state on a pilot basis to preserve languishing crafts through focused approach and support.