BJP slams Rahul over detention centre remarks on PM

The BJP on Thursday hit back at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his liar jibe at the prime minister, dubbing him as "joothon ka sardar" (master of lies) and saying detention camps in Assam were set up when the Congress was in power both at the Centre and the state.

In a tweet earlier in the day, the Congress leader had alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was lying to the country on the issue of detention camps in Assam.

Hitting back at Rahul, BJP spokesperson Sambhit Patra said he has used objectionable language but it was too much to ask for decency in public discourse from him.

Addressing a press conference here, Patra showed the official statement issued by the Congress-led UPA government in 2011 stating that detention centres have been set up in Assam.

"Rahul Gandhi is Joothon ka Sardar. The three detention centres were set up in Assam by his party which was in power both at the Centre and the state," he said.

Patra also showed the 'white paper' issued by the Assam government on the issue of illegal migrants and claimed it also talks about setting up of detention centres.

He further said there is no connection between detention centres and National Register of Citizens.

Gandhi on Thursday attacked Modi over his remarks that there were no detention centres in the country, alleging that "RSS's Prime Minister lies to Bharat Mata".

Taking to Twitter, he also attached a video clip with Modi accusing the Congress, its allies and "urban Naxals" of spreading the rumour that Muslims will be sent to detention centres.

The clip also shows a purported detention centre being constructed in Assam.