Everything PM said about Rajiv Gandhi was true: Javadekar

Hitting back after Congress president Rahul Gandhi attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for calling his father "corrupt number 1", the BJP on Sunday said every single word the PM had said about Rajiv Gandhi was true and that the Congress chief was rattled due to his party's imminent defeat in the Lok Sabha polls.

At a press conference, Union minister and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Prakash Javadekar cited the former prime minister's remarks about the 1984 riots to accuse him of "supporting" the massacre of Sikhs.

He also claimed that he was surprised at the reactions of Rahul Gandhi and his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra over the prime minister's remarks.

Addressing a poll rally in Uttar Pradesh's Pratapgarh on Saturday, Modi accused the Congress of harping on the alleged corruption in the acquisition of Rafale aircraft only to tarnish his image.

"Your father was termed 'Mr Clean' by his courtiers, but his life ended as 'bhrashtachari no. 1' (corrupt number 1)," Modi said taking a swipe at the Congress chief.

He was referring to the Bofors scam, in which former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi was accused of receiving kickbacks from Swedish defence manufacturer Bofors.

However, the Delhi High Court had said there was no evidence that Rajiv Gandhi had accepted bribes.

Javadekar said every word the prime minister had said about Rajiv Gandhi was true.

"Everything the PM said was true. After the killings of Sikhs in the 1984 riots, didn't Rajiv Gandhi support it? He had said when a big tree fell, the earth shook. Scriptures do not say that. The scriptures say when the earth shakes, big trees fall...they turned science on its head.

"They (Congress) are playing the politics of abuses. The Gandhis are rattled and they cannot tolerate it. The people of this country know everything. After four phases of polling (in the ongoing Lok Sabha election), it is clear that the Congress is losing," he said.

Claiming that Rahul Gandhi was rattled because he thought being in power was his "birthright", the Union minister for human resource development said the Congress was now desperate and thus, was resorting to abuses.

"The Congress is getting desperate as eight out of 10 people support PM Modi. I am surprised to see the violent reaction of both sister and brother (Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi) to a true statement made by the prime minister.

"Rahul Gandhi is calling names and cursing Modi because of dynastic arrogance. They think power is their birthright," he said.

Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi have slammed Modi for his jibe at their late father.

While Priyanka Gandhi has said the remark is reflective of the prime minister's "uncontrolled insanity", the Congress chief tweeted on Sunday, saying, "Modi Ji, The battle is over. Your Karma awaits you. Projecting your inner beliefs about yourself onto my father won't protect you. All my love and a huge hug.