Nirmala Sitharaman counters Rahul Gandhi, calls him a 'loser'

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said while addressing a press conference: " It sounds like a rhetoric of a loser."

Attacking the Congress and countering Rahul Gandhi's speech, Sitharaman said: "Congress has been solely responsible for Anti-Sikhs riots. A party that cried over the dead bodies of terrorists."

Sitharaman said Rahul Gandhji's speech was devoid of 'substance'.

Defence Minister Sitharaman said the Congress party is against the use of technology.

"Congress party is against technology," she said.

"At the time when technology making lives easier and simpler here is the party which is against it because they don't believe in transparency," she said.

Gandhi, in his speech, targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi for performing yoga at a time when the farmers of the nation were dying.

"Has Rahul Gandhi reviewed the farmer suicides in Karnataka?," the Defence Minister questioned Rahul Gandhi.

Karnataka is ruled by the Congress.

Calling Congress as the 'voice of the nation', party president Rahul Gandhi on Sunday said India expects more from them than any other party in the nation.

In his speech, Rahul Gandhi invoked the Mahabharata when he compared the "power-hungry" BJP and RSS to the Kauravas.
"Like the Kauravas, BJP & RSS are designed to fight for power. Like the Pandavas, the Congress is designed to fight for the truth," Gandhi said.

"BJP is the voice of an organization. Congress is the voice of a nation," Gandhi said as he addressed at the 84th plenary session of the Congress on Sunday.

"Congress party understands deeply that we are for truth. India expects more from Congress party because it holds us to a higher standard than any other party," he said.

Gandhi also used the platform in attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said he performs yoga when the country's farmers are dying.

Gandhi said his Congress party and its workers are the servants of the common people of India.

"PM jumps from one event to another. From surgical strikes to Gabbar Singh Tax to a fancy Yoga Parade, he keeps moving.... There is no money, but let's do Yoga. We do not work for the rich and powerful. We are servants of the people. Nobody can silence us," Gandhi said attacking the PM and his party at the Centre.

He was referring to the Yoga Day celebration performed by the government every year.

Modi himself joins the celebration and participates in a major yoga event here.

He said the country is facing unemployment at the present moment.

"We were the fastest growing economy in the world. But today millions of youth face unemployment," he said.

Gandhi said if his party comes to power then he will work for the farmers of the country and their betterment.

"We will protect our farmers," he said.

Speaking on education, Gandhi said: "Our party will expand scope of higher education across the nation if the Congress comes to power."

Attacking PM Modi over the PNB Scam, involving businessman Nirav Modi, Gandhi said: "The name Modi symbolises the collusion between India’s biggest businessmen and the Prime Minister. Modi gives Modi 30,000 crores of your Money and in turn, Modi gives Modi money for marketing Modi and fighting elections."

The CBI on Feb 14 received complaints from PNB, which detected a Rs 11,292 crore fraud involving billionaire diamond merchant Nirav Modi.

Nirav Modi, who is in the centre of a huge storm, reportedly left the country in January, much before the scam came to light.

According to media reports, he is now in New York.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered two cases against Nirav Modi.

The Congress session commenced from Friday.

The session is occurring at a time when the nation is gearing up for the Lok Sabha polls in 2019.

 

Image: BJP Twitter page