BJP refers to rape case against Kerala Congress leaders to attack Gandhi

The BJP Monday seized on the registration of a rape case against Congress leader and former Kerala chief minister Oommen Chandy to attack the opposition party, saying its president Rahul Gandhi should now stop mocking the Narendra Modi government's "Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao" scheme.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Meenakshi Lekhi said Chandy and former Union minister K C Venugopal, also an accused in the case, were Gandhi's "friends" and the Congress should answer questions on such a serious charge against its leaders, instead of targeting the ruling party's functionaries.

She also referred to a "Sukanya case", alleging that it was against Gandhi, and other cases involving Congress leaders.

Targeting Gandhi for his attack on the Centre's "Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao" scheme, Lekhi said it had led to an improvement in the sex ratio in many states.

The Crime Branch of the Kerala Police has registered cases against Chandy and Venugopal, who is an MP, on a complaint of sexual misconduct filed by Solar scam accused Saritha S Nair.

Lekhi also parried the Congress's allegations against Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, saying the opposition party should instead answer questions on the charges against Chandy and Venugopal.

The Congress Monday accused the Modi government of conniving with fraudsters who had escaped the country and claimed "conflict of interest" to demand Jaitley's sacking, saying his daughter and son-in-law, both lawyers, allegedly received a retainership of Rs 24 lakh from fugitive jeweller Mehul Choksi's firm Gitanjali Gems.

On the issue of oil pumps' strike in Delhi, Lekhi blamed the Aam Aadmi Party government, saying it did not reduce the petrol and diesel prices like the neighbouring states, leading to people buying fuel from outside Delhi.