BJP responds: Rahul is 'mentally unstable', 'another Kejriwal'

Calling Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi 'mentally unstable' over his remarks about having personal information about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's involvement in corruption, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday said the former was suffering from an 'attention seeking disorder'.

Launching a scratching attack, BJP leader Shrikant Sharma told ANI that the kind of questions Gandhi is raising, he needed 'medical attention'.

"I think he has lost his mental stability. We want to challenge Rahul Gandhi. Why are you running away from Parliament? From the very beginning, the government is saying it is ready for any kind of debate. If he has any evidence, he should put that forward in parliament. He doesn't want Parliament to run because he has no facts. To speak inside parliament is different and to speak outside is different. Rahul Gandhi is suffering from 'attention seeking disorder' and if in this age also he is suffering from this disorder, then he should seek treatment," he added.

Toeing the same sentiments, another BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain said allegations levelled against Prime Minister Modi by Rahul Gandhi will not have any impact on anyone.

"The Congress is scared of getting exposed. Prime Minister Modi has launched a scheme to fight black money and people are supporting it. Congress tried its best to influence people against the government but they didn't success. Now, Rahul Gandhi is saying that if he speaks, there will be an earthquake. What can be more hilarious that him saying that Prime Minister Modi is scared of him," he told ANI.

He further said if Rahul Gandhi has any evidence against Prime Minister Modi then he should bring it forward.

"But they are not allowing Parliament to function and putting that blame on the prime minister that he is not allowing him to speak. The party who did corruption of crores in their regime now raising question on us, it is not going to have any impact on anyone. People know that they are themselves running away from parliament," he added.

Union Minister Prakash Javadekar also used a news channel sting, which purportedly showed some leaders from rival parties offering to change old currency notes for a
commission, to attack Congress, SP and BSP and taunted Gandhi saying he should rename All India Congress Committee as All India Currency Conduit.

The sting has exposed the true face of these parties opposing demonetisation, he told a press conference at the BJP headquarters, and said while Prime Minister Narendra Modi was working to change the country, the Opposition was changing notes for a commission.

"The more Rahul Gandhi speaks the more Congress will be exposed... These parties are protesting outside. They stand by Mahatma Gandhi's statue to protest. They have been unmasked now. They are opposing (demonetisation) because their wounds are deep. They have now opened money exchange centre.

"We demand that Congress, SP, BSP and NCP tender an apology to the nation. Merely taking action against individuals won't do," he said.

Mocking the Congress vice president over his "personal corruption" jibe at Modi, Javadekar said Congress has become "commission agent" while the world has come to appreciate the Prime Minister's "spotless" character in the two and a half years of his rule.

Attacking the Opposition party over its protest in Parliament, he said such disrespect for democracy was never seen and it highlights the Emergency era mindset of Congress.

Congress, BSP and NCP committed scams when they were in power and continue to do so when they are out of it, he alleged.

Taking a dig at Gandhi, BJP spokesperson Nalin Kohli said he was practising shoot and scoot, and spit and run tactics to stay relevant in the media.

"If Rahul Gandhi wants to become another Arvind Kejriwal of Indian politics, then who are we to stop him," he said.

If he is so keen to speak in Parliament, then why are members of Congress and other Opposition parties are disrupting it, he asked.

Dismissing Gandhi's allegation that the prime minister was scared, Kohli said the nation and world have come to see how "bold and fearless" Modi was.

Photograph: Subhav Shukla/PTI Photo