Sidhu repeats thief slur against PM

Going beyond the slur used against Prime Minister Narendra Modi by Congress president Rahul Gandhi, Punjab minister Navjot Sidhu Saturday said even the watchman's dog was into stealing.

Addressing an election rally at Khairthal in Alwar district, Sidhu alleged corruption in the Modi government's deal with France to purchase 36 Rafale military aircraft, a charge repeatedly denied by the Centre.

He claimed the plane worth Rs 500 crore was being bought for Rs 1,600 crore.

The crowd chanted, chowkidar chor hai (the watchman is a thief).

The slogan was given by Gandhi who had earlier mocked Modi's claim that he will act like watchman against graft in the country.

Even the watchman's dog is involved, Sidhu then said. He claimed the BJP government's 'Make in India' slogan had not yielded results, saying the government had a deal on Rafale with France and on the bullet train with Japan.

He claimed the Sardar Patel statue recently installed in Gujarat was bought from China.

Will the people of the country fry pakodas? he said. Sidhu said he will quit politics if his allegations are proved false.

You have broken the back of farmers. You do not belong to the poor farmers but to Ambani and Adani. You have become puppet of the industrialists, Sidhu charged, targeting Modi.

He also lashed out at Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje. The maharani is sitting in the fort and ruling the state, he said.

He said women are not safe in the state which records a high number of rapes.

Assembly polls will be held in Rajastghan on December 7.