BJP hits back at Rahul, calls him non-serious political player

Hitting back at Congress President Rahul Gandhi for his attack on government over demonetisation and Rafale fighter jet deal, the BJP on Thursday said that he will not succeed in launching his career by repeatedly making false allegations in his "parrot pattern press conferences."

"For the last two years, you have been targeting the government, sometimes by calling GST, Gabbar Singh Tax and sometimes alleging corruption in Rafale deal. You have also been pointing fingers at the government over demonetisation saying it benefitted some 15 industrialists," BJP Spokesperson Sambit Patra told a press conference.

He said the people have repeatedly rejected not only the Congress but also the versions presented by Rahul Gandhi.

"He (Rahul Gandhi) appeared today as a very non-serious political player. There was nothing new to offer and only repetition of what he already has said," the spokesperson said.

Gandhi, who addressed a hurriedly called press conference earlier in the day, termed demonetization a scam intended to benefit "15-20 crony capitalist friends" of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and accused him of lying in the Rafale deal.

"Whatever allegations he has made over demonetisation, people have already answered in 2016 and 2017. During Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, the same allegations were leveled by Gandhi. But when the results came out, the BJP got 325 seats while the Congress got only seven. The best judge in democracy is the people," Patra said.

Attacking the Congress President, he cited various scams that allegedly emerged during the Congress regime.

"For Rahul Gandhi, reform is deform. What is reform for the country is akin to deform for Rahul Gandhi," he said.

Countering Gandhi over his claims that Modi government has favoured 15 industrialists, he asked: "Can you tell a single name among them?".

On the charge that the Modi government has destroyed the Indian economy, Patra said many international organisations have pointed out that because of the reforms, India has become an engine of global economy.

About the accusation that the Prime Minister was lying in the Rafale deal, the BJP leader called Gandhi an immature leader who plays with the security of the country and portrays himself as the PM aspirant.

"For 10-11 long years, despite the fact that squadron strength of the Indian Air Force has been drastically come down, your party and your government could do nothing to restore this strength. That amounted to compromising with security of this country," he said.

--IANS

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