New Delhi:
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday backed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for calling Rahul Gandhi’s father "corrupt number 1". At a press conference in New Delhi, Union minister and senior BJP leader Prakash Javdekar said that every word the prime minister had said about Rajiv Gandhi was true.
The Union Minister further claimed that he was surprised at the reactions of Rahul Gandhi and his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra over the prime minister's remarks. “What Prime Minister said is correct, after the 1984 riots in which Sikhs were massacred had not Rajiv Gandhi supported it? He had said when big trees fall the earth shakes.” Javdekar added.
"They 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, it is clear that the Congress is losing," he added. Claiming that Rahul Gandhi was rattled because he thought being in power was his "birthright", HRD Minister said that 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 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 concluded.
The statement hours comes after Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi slammed PM Modi for his jibe at their late father. In a tweet, the Congress president had said, "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."
On Saturday, while addressing an election rally in Uttar Pradesh's Pratapgarh, PM Modi had 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)," PM Modi had said taking a dig at the Rahul Gandhi.
PM Modi 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.
