Rahul was on vacation when fisheries ministry was formed: Amit Shah

After repeated gaffe by Rahul Gandhi on no dedicated ministry to deal with the issues of fishermen, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the Congress leader was on vacation when the National Democratic Alliance formed the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying in 2019.

"Some days ago, Rahul Gandhi had asked why there is no fisheries department. I want to know from people whether they want a leader who doesn't know that Department of Fisheries has been in existence for two years (since 2019)," Shah said at a public rally ahead of assembly elections in the Union Territory Puducherry's Karaikal district.

Questioning the capability of the Congress party to govern the Puducherry, he said, "Can the Congress party do the welfare of Puducherry?"

Earlier, Rahul Gandhi had demanded the setting up of a separate ministry for fisheries at a meeting in Puducherry.

The Wayanad MP's comments came at an interaction with the fishing community in Kollam's Thangassery on February 24.

"Just like our farmers farm the land, you farm the sea. Farmers have a Ministry in Delhi, you don't. No one speaks for you in Delhi. The first thing I would do is to have a ministry dedicated to the fishermen of India so that your issues can be defended and protected," said the Congress leader.

He made a similar gaffe in Puducherry earlier this month.

In Puducherry, Gandhi had demanded the setting up of a separate ministry for fisheries.

However, the Congress leader's comments came in for immediate rebuttal by Union Minister Giriraj Singh, who had also taken a swipe at Gandhi's ignorance and attempt to 'spread misinformation'.

Singh had said, "Rahul Gandhi is unaware that a separate ministry for fisheries, animal husbandry and dairying was formed by the Prime Minister in 2019, adding that Gandhi can't come out of Italy."