'PM's 'Man ki Baat' inspired by Rahul Gandhi's youth dialogue'

Jaipur, May 24: Congress leader Rita Bahuguna Joshi on Sunday claimed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Man Ki Baat' programme was inspired by Rahul Gandhi who started a dialogue with youths in 2004.

"It was Rahul Gandhi's initiative to engage in dialogue with youths in 2004, which was copied by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and he came up with the idea of 'Man Ki Baat' radio programme.

He did not do such thing when he was Gujarat chief minister," Joshi said at a press conference here.

She alleged that the programme has delivered no result and has failed in influencing people as they have now understood that the government has betrayed them.

Speaking on the status of education and government's work in the sector in the last year, Joshi accused HRD Minister Smriti Irani of "shattering" the education structure.

"Instead of strengthening the educational structure, the HRD ministry under Smriti Irani has spent more time in demolishing institutions of prestige, downsizing motivated educationists and scholars because they want RSS ideologues to head such institutions," Joshi said.

PTI