NE NEWS SERVICE
COIMBATORE, MAR 27
Union Minister Smriti Irani on Saturday challenged actor and Makkal Needhi Maiam founder Kamal Haasan to have an open debate with Vanathi Srinivasan, BJP’s candidate for Coimbatore South constituency, after he took on the Centre on issues of development in his campaigns. Haasan is also contesting from this Constituency.
Union minister @smritiirani ji performing traditional dance while campaigning for Shri @VanathiBJp ji in Coimbatore. #TamilNaduElections pic.twitter.com/5QKEMb7MIz
— Mitesh Jain (Modi Ka Pariwar) (@MK7786) March 27, 2021
Addressing the ”North India Community Outreach Programme”, organised at Gujarati Samaj here, the BJP leader recalled that she had participated in a debate with him a few years back.
“I challenge Kamal Haasan to come for a debate with Vanathi Srinivasan, to prove to the people who is it that really knows the issues well, gives solutions and implements policies.”
மநீம தலைவர் கமல்ஹாசன் பாஜக வேட்பாளர் திருமதி.@VanathiBJP அவர்களுடன் நேரடியாக விவாதிக்க வேண்டும்
கொள்கைகள், தீர்வுகள் & மக்களின் பிரச்சினைகள் குறித்து விவாதித்தால்தான் யாருக்கு ஆட்சித் திறன் உள்ளது என்று தெரியவரும்.
– மத்திய அமைச்சர் திருமதி.@smritiirani#Vanathi4KovaiSouth pic.twitter.com/mE4eKinAyZ
— BJP Tamilnadu (@BJP4TamilNadu) March 27, 2021
Reeling out statistics on infrastructure development, she said the Centre has built 10 crore toilets nationwide, of which 90 lakh was in Tamil Nadu. Similarly, the PM initiated the Jan Dhan scheme through which government was able to directly transfer money to people’s accounts, benefiting 40 crore people all over the country, of which 90 lakh were in Tamil Nadu The state received 1.25 crore drinking water taps of the five crore installed in India in the last two years, she said, speaking in Gujarati and Hindi.
கோவை தெற்கு சட்டமன்ற தொகுதி வெற்றி வேட்பாளர் திருமதி.@VanathiBJP அவர்களுக்கு ஆதரவாக மத்திய அமைச்சர் திருமதி.@smritiirani அவர்கள் தாமரை சின்னத்திற்கு வாக்குகள் கேட்டு பிரச்சாரம் செய்த போது…#Vanathi4KovaiSouth pic.twitter.com/gIFmJeiA9z
— BJP Tamilnadu (@BJP4TamilNadu) March 27, 2021
A central government scheme through which farmers get Rs 6,000 annually had benefited 10 crore of them and 50 lakh of them were in Tamil Nadu, the minister said. The Centre has also sanctioned 11 medical colleges and an AIIMS for Tamil Nadu, she said.
“All this was possible because the people of India blessed and elected Narendra Modi as Prime Minister… who chose to be the first public servant of the nation,” she said.
Appealing the people to cast their votes for the BJP on April 6, she said, “Lakshmi (goddess of wealth) is coming not with torch, but on Kamal (Lotus).”
Later, replying to a question from reporters on why she targetted only Kamal Hassan when other parties, including Congress, were in the fray, she quipped “Congress is not at all in the picture.”
Smriti Irani took out a scooter campaign
Smriti Irani drove a two-wheeler on the city main road as part of canvassing votes for Vanathi Srinivasan, the BJP candidate from the Coimbatore South Constituency.
The BJP women”s wing organised the two-wheeler procession in the Raja Street area. Vanathi Srinivasan, who is also the BJP mahila morcha president, accompanied Irani.
The union minister wore an helmet and followed the COVID-19 protocol by wearing face mask.
Irani and Vanathi Srinivasan along with another woman functionary later travelled in an autorickshaw, with the public raising slogans in support of the BJP and hailing both leaders.
Irani, who addressed a North Indian community outreach programme joined the ”kolattam,” a dance with sticks, organised by Gujarati women to welcome her.