Rahul Gandhi confused about his religion and caste, says Sushma Swaraj

Hours after Congress president Rahul Gandhi accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of politicising the surgical strike carried by Army in September 2016, MEA Sushma Swaraj launched a blistering attack on the Gandhi scion, saying the grand old party is "lacking confidence" ahead of the crucial state polls results and the general elections slated for the next year.

Addressing a press conference in poll bound Rajasthan's Jaipur, Swaraj also said, "Rahul Gandhi has a dilemma regarding religion and caste, adding that the Congress "presented him as secular leader but near polls when they realised that Hindus are in majority, they created this image".

"Rahul Gandhi said PM doesn't know meaning of being a Hindu. He said that because he and Congress are confused about his religion and caste. For years, party presented him as secular leader but near polls when they realised that Hindus are in majority, they created this image," ANI quoted Swaraj as saying.

Sushma Swaraj: Rahul Gandhi said PM doesn't know meaning of being a Hindu. He said that because he&Congress are confused about his religion& caste. For yrs, party presented him as secualr leader but near polls when they realised that Hindus are in majority,they created this image pic.twitter.com/0gknII5jsv

— ANI (@ANI) December 1, 2018

Read | Army carried out surgical strike thrice during UPA rule but never politicised like Modi: Rahul Gandhi

Coming down heavily on Gandhi's 'Modi doesnt understand the foundation of  Hinduism'  remark, the MEA further said that the Congress claimed that Rahul Gandhi is a janeu-dhari (the one who wears Brahminical thread) Hindu, but I did not know he is so rich in knowledge that now they will teach us the the essence of Hinduism. "Hope we never have to learn meaning of Hinduism from Rahul Gandhi," the MEA mocked.

Sushma Swaraj:Bayan aaya ki wo 'janeudhari brahmin' hai,par mujhe nahi maloom tha ki 'janeudhari brahmin' ke gyan mein itni vridhi ho gayi ki Hindu hone ka matlab ab hame unse samajhna padega.Bhagwan na kare ki wo din kabhi aaye ki R Gandhi se hame Hindu hone ka matlab janna pade pic.twitter.com/tVRZnkizeC

— ANI (@ANI) December 1, 2018

Swaraj's barb came after Gandhi early in the day questioned PM Modi’s understanding of Hinduism, asking “what is the essence of Hinduism? What does the Gita say? That knowledge is with everybody, knowledge is all around you. Every living being has knowledge. Our PM says he is a Hindu but he doesn't understand the foundation of Hinduism".

Read | Amit Shah hits back at Rahul Gandhi, accuses him of insulting slain Army soldiers

Gandhi was interacting with professionals in Rajasthan’s Udaipur as part of the Congress's election campaign and came out all guns blazing at the ruling BJP and said that during the Manmohan Singh government, the Army had conducted similar surgical strike thrice but the action was not used for political gains.

Taking a dig at former finance minister P Chidambaram, Sushma said, "I'd like to remind Mr Chidambaram that in UPA’s tenure IMF and World Bank listed Indian economy in the fragile 5, it was listed as one the economies that were on decline. Today these two organizations themselves call India the fastest growing economy".

EAM Sushma Swaraj: I'd like to remind Mr. Chidambaram that in UPA’s tenure IMF & World Bank listed Indian economy in the fragile 5, it was listed as one the economies that were on decline. Today these two organizations themselves call India the fastest growing economy. pic.twitter.com/GhaweFvcG1

— ANI (@ANI) December 1, 2018

"India’s average GDP growth during Congress’ 10 years was 6.7 per cent in BJP's last 3 years it was 7.3 per cent and this year, it is 7.6 per cent," she asserted.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj: India’s average GDP growth during Congress’ 10 years was 6.7%, in BJP's last 3 years it was 7.3% and this year, it is 7.6%. pic.twitter.com/8gCIZdTTQW

— ANI (@ANI) December 1, 2018

Read | Delay in EVMs reaching strong rooms in Madhya Pradesh, Congress cries foul

Early in the day, Chidambaram mocked at the ruling BJP, saying the Centre had "promised a double-digit growth rate. They have not achieved double-digit growth rate in any of the four years. And they will not achieve it in the last year also". "More companies are bankrupt today than ever before in the country," the Congress MP added.