Rahul Gandhi claims to have info on PM Modi's 'personal corruption', ministers launch counteroffensive

An end to the ongoing impasse in Parliament remains elusive, casting its shadow over the remaining two days of the Winter Session amid divergent views of the government and the Opposition on debate on demonetisation. 

A latest salvo by Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi against Prime Minister Narendra Modi has added fuel to the ongoing confrontation in both the Houses.

After claiming that there will be an "earthquake" if he speaks, Rahul Gandhi alleged on Wednesday that he has detailed information about "personal corruption" by Prime Minister Narendra Modi which he wants to present in Lok Sabha but is not being allowed to do so by the PM.

Winter Session Day 19 | Arunachal power scam, demonetisation issue rocks Parliament; Oppn raises ‘Modi sarkar hosh me aao’ slogans 

Gandhi said the prime minister is personally terrified of him being allowed to speak inside Lok Sabha. 

"The Prime Minister is personally terrified of me being allowed to open my mouth inside Lok Sabha because I have information about the Prime Minister that is going to explode his balloon. And I am not being allowed to speak in the House," he told reporters in Parliament premises.

Asked what kind of information he has, Rahul said, "That information is personal information about Narendra Modiji which I want to state in Lok Sabha. It is personal corruption of the Prime Minister that we have detailed information about. We want to present it, which the Prime Minister is not allowing us to speak."

Read | Kiren Rijiju mocks Rahul Gandhi, says his remark against PM Modi biggest joke of the year

Earlier in the day, Parliament met after four days, with the Congress continuing its attack over the demonetisation exercise and an alleged corruption scandal involving MoS home affairs minister Kiren Rijiju. 

Ministers launch counteroffensive

Stung by Rahul Gandhi's sensational charge, top ministers in the government dismissed the allegation as "false and baseless", insisting there cannot be a bigger "lie" than it.

Senior ministers including Manohar Parrikar, Ananth Kumar, Ravi Shankar Prasad and Prakash Javadekar went ballistic at the Congress vice-president, calling the charge a result of his "desperation and frustration" and demanding an apology.

Read | Rahul claims he has 'information that will explode PM Modi's balloon'; BJP says Cong VP has lost patience

"Rahul Gandhi tells lies. He speaks baseless. Come to Parliament, discuss and also listen to our reply. He is the same person who kept quiet during the 10 years when the country, under Manmohan Singh government, was being looted," law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said.

Defence minister Parrikar said the question as to who has stalled Parliament should be put to Rahul Gandhi. 

Addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters, Prakash Javadekar said only Congress and not the government will be exposed when Gandhi speeks even as he dismissed the charge that the government was not letting the Congress leader speak in Parliament. There cannot be a bigger "lie" than this, the Union environment minister said.

(With inputs from PTI)