Rahul Gandhi speaking as if he is in opposition: BJP

Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi's recent comments on corruption and the fall in growth rate seemed like they were coming from an opposition leader, BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu said here today.

"The Congress Vice-President's speech at the FICCI conference yesterday appears like the speech of an opposition leader. He seems to have forgotten that his party is in power for the last ten years. Earlier, it was in power for more than 50 years," he said, talking to reporters here.

"Whatever he was preaching yesterday, his party did not practise it. He said graft is bleeding India. Who is responsible? It is his party, which was in power and which is in power. He says without growth, you cannot alleviate poverty. Then, who brought down the growth? Your party. You should explain that," Naidu said.

Referring to Rahul's reported comment that good news about government does not sell newspapers in Delhi, Naidu asked where was the good news for media to report.

"Is he talking about scam after scam? Betrayal after betrayal on every promise? Economic downturn, rupee devaluation, unemployment, suicides by farmers or growing atrocities on women? Misuse of CBI for political ends or stalling of women's reservation bill and Lokpal bill for six years?" Naidu said.

Accusing Congress of patronising the corrupt and misusing Constitutional institutions, he alleged that Congress government tried to cover up those involved in Adarsh society scam "even after judicial indictment".

"Your Governor goes out of the way to reject permission for CBI to prosecute a former Chief Minister. The Governor has violated the principles of Constitution. He has no right to be in that post. He should be recalled immediately. The Cabinet of Maharashtra, they absolved their own ministers and they rejected the report. Then, why did you appoint a commission," he said.