Vadra protests 'personal attacks' after PM Modi says he will jail him

Businessman Robert Vadra, the brother-in-law of  Congress president, on Wednesday accused Narendra Modi of making personal attacks on him after the Prime Minister said he will jail him if he returns to power.

“This chowkidaar has taken the person who looted farmers to court. He is making rounds of ED (Enforcement Directorate) and court to take bail. He used to think he is Shahenshah, now is nervous. I’ve already taken him to the jail door. Give blessings and I’ll put him in jail within the next 5 years,” Modi said at an PM election rally in Haryana’s Fatehabad, the Indian Express reported quoting news agency ANI. 

Modi was referring to cases filed against Vadra for alleged fraudulent land deals in Gurgaon when Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda was chief minister of Haryana. 

Vadra, writing on Twitter and Facebook, said he had "suffered harassment" at the hands of the Modi government in the last five years and Modi was "insulting" the judiciary with his remarks that he will send him to jail.

"Please stop these personal attacks on me. By passing such remarks, you insult our honourable judicial system. I have full faith in the Indian judiciary and the truth shall prevail. God save the country," Vadra tweeted.

In a Facebook post addressed to the prime minister, Vadra said, "I am shocked to hear my name again in your rally. There are glaring issues such as poverty, joblessness, women empowerment etc which are staring right at you, but you chose to talk about me, out of everything else." 

"I have been at the receiving end for the last 5 years of complete harassment, by your government. Relentless notices from various agencies, courts and tax departments, to simply mentally pressurise me.

"11 times being summoned to depose each of 8 to 11 hours with the Enforcement Directorate, in different parts of the country, Court depositions and related orders, etc. BUT NOT ONE allegation has been proven (sic)," he said.

Vadra said he wondered "what did he want to achieve by invoking my name, again and again".

"Simply the nation knows my name is repeatedly used in elections to digress from the failures of your government and their own misdeeds," Vadra alleged.