HT Samagam live| 'Road to 5 trillion dollar economy goes through UP': Yogi Adityanath

"Congress does not do election politics. I feel ashamed when someone compares my country with another which stands nowhere. Has any minister compared India with China for employment or any other indicator. I am troubled. I say give youth jobs. Why just speak on Pakistan" says Congress spokesperson Gourav Vallabh.

"My main reason for joining politics is that there is a picture of Gandhiji in my house. I see him ten times a day. How can I see that picture when the Union Minister is welcoming those who have been beaten up. How would I see that picture when Nathuram Godse is called a patriot. People were asking the caste of Bajrang Bali and if I kept quiet, how could I do my Ramchandra Aarti?," Congress spokesperson Gaurav Vallabh explains the reason for joining politics.

Session with Gourav Vallabh, Congress spokesperson, and Manoj Jha, spokesperson Rashtriya Janata Dal, begins at Shikhar Samagam in Lucknow.

When asked on economic slowdown, Smrtiti Irani says "there are several challenges and this government has the capacity to tackle them. For the first time, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman has gone around the country, visiting states, to discuss the budget, and seek suggestions. This is a first. The government is holding dialogue on all issues, including economic."

"Under Ayushman Bharat mission 75 lakh women got themselves screened for breast cancer, 50 lakh got screened for cervix cancer. That's a first. What this means is topics that were taboo earlier, even today women don't discuss them openly, have now started being discussed. That's awareness," Union Minister Smriti Irani says.

"There is a Petroleum Institute named after Rajiv Gandhi in Amethi which didn't get even 50 paisa during Congress rule but was allocated ₹500 crore by Modi. But such things won't come out because these don't help in abusing Modi," Smriti Irani says.

"Why don't you ask Rahul Gandhi why he supports 'tukde tukde' gang. Muslims in Amethi have responded to Rahul," she adds.

On CAA protests where children are also participating, Smriti says, "When children are coached to raise slogans like 'we will murder Modi' then what do you say? What do you say when people say 'bharat tere tukde honge'. What do you say to those who say we are 15 crore ...."

When asked about Priyanka Gandhi's active work in Uttar Pradesh, Smriti Irani says, "Priyanka is only active in her own party, Congress, because she is working to make space for herself in her own party."

Union Minister Smriti Irani says she intends to live in Amethi, house hunt is on.

"I have been chosen to support Amethi's small dreams. My house work has started in Amethi," Smriti says.

"2019 victory was not mine but the people's. I was just a symbol. 2019 is a proof of people's victory for me. In this way I became the sister of Amethi," Smriti Irani says at Hindustan Shikhar Samagam being held in Lucknow.

Union minister Smriti Irani takes the stage, as the leader reminisces her victory in Uttar Pradesh's Amethi against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, she says "In less than a year, around 10,000 crore work are in progress in the state.

"I have a complete list of works worth ten thousand crores. If you go to Amethi, there was a road waiting to be doubled. But we are going to do this with the help of the Uttar Pradesh government," she says.