"The country will judge who is "hawabaaz" (one who does empty talk) and "dagabaaz" (a betrayer)," Congress chief spokesman Randeep Surjewala told reporters.
Surjewala said Modi had promised before the Lok Sabha polls that the government will deposit Rs 15 lakh in every citizen's bank account from the black money brought back from foreign tax havens, an assertion that was later termed as mere "jumla" (platitude) by his party president.
"So it is for the people to judge who is 'asli dagabaaz' (real betrayer)," he said.
Targeting the Prime Minister on One Rank, One Pension (OROP) for ex-servicemen, he said, while the war veterans have been agitating for the past 90 days, the government did not notify its watered down scheme before the model code of conduct kicked in with the announcement of Bihar polls.
Surjewala said people had also understood by now that the slogans of "good governace" and "ease of doing business" were "hawabaazi" as the state of the economy was deteriorating with each passing day.
The Congress' counteroffensive came soon after the Prime Minister hit back at Sonia Gandhi over her "hawabaaz" barb against him, asserting the "scamsters are unnerved" due to the tough stance of the government on black money and were putting "roadblocks" in its pursuit of the reforms agenda.
Attacking the Congress, Modi said, the "hawalabaaz" (scamsters) were seeking answers from him even as his government was going about plugging leakages in schemes and enriching the nation's coffers.
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
