The BJP has reacted strongly to Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi’s trenchant criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, advising him to “grow out of diapers” and reminding him that he was no longer a “toddler politician” though he behaved like “a baby in diapers.”
The party fumed after the Congress vice-president took a jibe at the Prime Minister saying people will reduce his 56-inch chest to 5.6 inches and the Congress will never allow the land Bill to be passed in Parliament. Rahul also attacked the Centre and Rajasthan Government over the lalit Modi scandal.
BJP’s secretary Siddharth Nath Singh slammed Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi at a briefing soon after Rahul targeted the Centre. “He has to grow out of the diapers he is wearing. His remarks, behaviour remind us that he remains a baby in diapers,” Singh said as he raked up the alleged scams during the Congress-led UPA rule and controversial land deals involving Gandhi’s brother-in-law Robert Vadra.
Apparently referring to a lalit Modi tweet, the BJP leader said Gandhi should also speak about the likely “deal of Rs500-600 crore involving your (Rahul Gandhi) mother’s sister”.
“Rahul Gandhi has spoken about land, remote control and also 56 inch chest. As I said he is a toddler and it is not nice to give advise to a toddler. But Congress is giving him big responsibility so let us offer him unsolicited advise. You have a right to criticise us. But criticise us on facts...
“You should assume a more constructive role. You wasted ten years... From 2G, Coalgate, ‘damadji’, you have now come down to ‘istifa ji’,” he said tauntingly, referring to the Opposition’s demand for the resignation of some BJP leaders over their alleged role in Vyapam scam and lalit Modi scandal.
Addressing party workers in Rajasthan, Gandhi had said “This 56-inch chest (of Narendra Modi) will turn into 5.6 inches in six months. And who will turn this into 5.6 inches, it is the Congress party, people of the country, the farmers and the labourers.” Taking jibes at the Vasundhara Raje Government, he called it a “lalit Modi sarkar”.
Singh said: “The 56-inch chest has been realised due to the blessing of crores of Indians and Rahul should not dare measure it. Or, it will prove costly.” Modi had spoken frequently about “56-inch chest”, a reference to strong leadership, during the lok Sabha polls and it has been used by Congress to taunt him.
Referring to Rahul’s barbs at the Centre over land Bill and his claim that Congress will not allow an inch of land to be acquired under it, Singh said he should also speak “about how Vadra managed to acquire so much land in Haryana”.