Ask Amit Shah about 'dalali', he used it first: Raj Babbar

Rahul Gandhi had accused PM Modi for playing politics over blood of soldiers, who sacrificed their lives in Kashmir

Defending Rahul Gandhi's "khoon ki dalali" remark, UPCC chief Raj Babbar on Monday said it was BJP President Amit Shah who first used the term 'dalali' (brokering), so he should be questioned about it.

The actor-turned-politician, however, did not directly name Shah and instead called him "tadipaar" (banished) and "zila badar" (extern).

"In my view, this question should be asked to the one, whose physical weight is much, but his tongue and language have none... one who does not understand what kind of language he should use," Babbar said here in response to a query if Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi's "khoon ki dalali" (trading in blood) remark was appropriate in the context of the army.

"It was he who first used the word 'dalali'," the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) chief added.

On further prodding as to who he was referring to, Babbar said: "I am referring to the 'tadipaar', to the 'zila badar', who is roaming around in Uttar Pradesh these days."

Gandhi, concluding his 'Kisan Yatra' in Delhi at Jantar Mantar on October 6, had accused Prime Minister Modi of playing politics over the blood of soldiers, who sacrificed their lives in Kashmir.

He had said: "Jo hamare jawan hain, jinhone apna khoon diya hai, Jammu-Kashmir mein khoon diya hai, jinhone Hindustan ke liye surgical strikes kiye hain, unke khoon ke peeche aap chhupe hain. Unki aap dalali kar rahe hain. (You are hiding behind the blood of our soldiers, who have given their blood in Jammu & Kashmir and those who carried out the surgical strike for India. You are trading in their sacrifices)."

Babbar's remarks came at a press briefing organised here to announce the joining of two former Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leaders in the Congress party.

Those who joined the Congress on Monday were Brijlal Khabri, former Member of Parliament and BSP National General Secretary, and Chaudhary Dhruvlal, three-time legislator who was expelled from the BSP three months ago.