Stop addressing irrelevant issues, respond to Rahul's corruption charges: Tharoor to PM

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Tuesday asked Prime Minster Narendra Modi to respond to the personal corruption charges levelled against him by the party vice-president Rahul Gandhi, instead of addressing irrelevant issues.

"Rahul Gandhi has put something forward. He says that proof is lying with the Income Tax authorities. If the Prime Minister has a different view, he has to refute it. He has not so far addressed the issue. He has only addressed irrelevant side issues. So we ask him to respond to Rahul Gandhi," Congress leader told ANI.

The Congress has called for a united opposition meet today to device a strategy against demonetisation and personal corruption charges on Prime Minister Modi.

The meeting will be followed by a joint press conference by Gandhi, along with other opposition leaders.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi is also expected to join the meeting.

Rahul has accused Prime Minister Modi of receiving crores in kickbacks during the latter's tenure as Gujarat chief minister.

Speaking in Gujarat's Mehsana last week, Gandhi alleged that in the records with the Income Tax, there were notings of Sahara officials' claims that they paid Prime Minister Modi nine times between October 2013 and February 2014 and that the total amount was Rs. 40 crore.