BJP is jealous of success of 'Khat Sabha': Ghulam Nabi Azad

Taking a dig at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for calling Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi's 'Khat Sabha' a flop show, Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad today said that this reflected the frustration and jealousy on part of the saffron party that has not been able to host such a thriving programme.

"All of Rahul Gandhi's programmmes are extremely successful whether you talk about 'Khat Sabha' or the padyatra in the city and villages. Wherever he's going, he's doing extremely well. What else can the BJP do?" he added.

Azad also downplayed the cots controversy and said the Congress vice-president has given a befitting reply to the BJP.

"I agree with Rahul ji's comments. The BJP is calling these poor farmers thieves because they walked away with a khat. However, big businessmen involved in scandals worth crores are not thieves because the government helps them leave the country," added Azad.

"The agenda of this kisan yatra is to have the loans of poor farmers excused so that they can have a debt free existence," mentioned Azad.

Rahul Gandhi had earlier responded to the same allegations by saying, "Kisan khatiya le jata hai, to wo 'chor' kehte hain. Magar jab bade bade udyogpati Mallya jaise bhaag jate hain, toh usse 'defaulter' kehte hain."

State BJP chief Keshav Prasad Maurya had alleged that villagers were lured into attending the 'Khat Sabha' on the promise of getting cots.

"The khat loot that followed proves us right. It also shows that the villagers had come for the cots than to hear Rahul Gandhi," Maurya said.