Modi calls Cong dhokebaaz party,Gandhi retorts with ‘childish barb’
The unabated barbs of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra against BJP’s prime ministerial nominee Narendra Modi and his “developmental model” on Tuesday invited a full-scale attack from the party as it described the Congress as “the most fascist” while Modi called it a “dhokebaaz” party.Campaigning in Amethi, Rahul’s lok Sabha constituency, Priyanka termed as “childish” Modi calling his brother as “a specimen” and pronounced BJP’s policies as “destructive” and divisive pitting one brother against another. In a parallel offensive against Modi, Finance Minister P Chidambaram also alleged that Gujarat Chief Minister’s politics “borders on fascism”.
Amid the escalating war of words, Modi branded Congress a “dhokebaaz” (fraud) party and described its manifesto as “dhokapatra” and charged it with cheating people with its poll promises.Strongly defending Modi against Chidambaram’s allegations of fascism, the BJP lashed out at the Congress describing it as the most fascist party that imposed Emergency, burnt Shah Commission report on the alleged misdeeds of the Indira Gandhi regime, carried out forced vasectomy and jailed political opponents.
Slamming the Gandhi family, BJP’s spokesperson Meenakshi lekhi alleged that Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s father was an important officer in Italian dictator Benito Mussolini’s Army and that he was “hand-in-glove with fascist leaders”.“...Stefano Maino (Sonia Gandhi’s father) fought against the Soviet military alongside Hitler’s Wehrmacht on the eastern front in World War-II. He also called himself a loyal supporter of Benito Mussolini and Italy’s National Fascist Party. I don’t understand on what grounds they call Modiji a fascist leader,” said lekhi and quipped Chidambaram was “correct” saying Fascism should be rooted out as in India it was in its last leg and a truly elected Government would soon be in the saddle in the country.
lekhi targeted Rahul for accusing Modi of favouring few industrialists and raising questions over development model of Gujarat and said the “insulated” Congress vice-president has poor knowledge of ground realities as he lives in a “cocoon”.lekhi contended that Rahul was wrong on facts when he accused Modi of giving land to industrialist Gautam Adani at “throwaway” prices as also about non-existence of lokayukta and RTI Commissioner in Gujarat and unemployment in the State.
“These errors are shameful but also alarming, because these are the leaders in Congress who are claimants for power at the Centre,” she said.Countering Rahul’s allegation that Adani was promoted by Modi in giving land at throwaway prices, the BJP spokesperson alleged that the Congress Government had doled out land almost free to GMR for construction of the Delhi airport.
“He should know that the Gujarat Government gave land at nominal price but the Congress gave land to GMR to build the Indira Gandhi Airport only for Rs100. The actual price of land is Rs1,63,557 crore. This gross violation of norms and practices has never been mentioned by the Congress and this is by CAG report,” lekhi said.Proving cover to her brother, Priyanka said BJP leaders used to make fun of her father and former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi when he introduced computers in the country and they are now “mocking” Rahul.
“They call him (Rahul) ‘namuna’ (specimen). Sometime they compare him to a stand up comedian and sometime they call him Shehzada. I think you (Modi) aspire to be Prime Minister, then why do you indulge in such childish behaviourIJ He (Modi) should maintain dignity,” she said at an election meeting at Deeh in Salon Assembly area in Amethi.
Priyanka, whose attack on BJP and its prime ministerial candidate over their targeting her husband Robert Vadra has invited sharp reaction from them, intensified her criticism of the Opposition party for its “destructive” policies which, she said, pitted one brother against another. Attacking Modi without taking his name, Priyanka said, “you are wishing to be PM but what plans do you have for women empowerment, development and employment”.
Responding to a fusillade of attacks on him and his “Model of Development”, Modi put counter-questions to the Congress on its Manifesto promises made in 2009.“I do not like saying it but the Congress is a party that betrays people. It is a “dhokebaaz” party. See their 2009 manifesto. It is not a manifesto but a ‘dhokapatra’,” he said at an election rally in Palampur in Himachal Pradesh.Raising the issue of price rise, Modi said, “The Congress had promised in its 2009 manifesto that it will bring down prices within 100 days. This was not done. So is it not a ‘dhokapatra’IJ”
Modi said the people may forgive a mistake but they do not spare a cheat. “If you cheat people, they will not forgive you. They may forgive a mistake but not a cheat.”