NEW DELHI: To keep the pressure on the NDA government on the corruption issue, Congress president Rahul Gandhi again lobbed the Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud and Rafale jet deal salvos at Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday.
Rahul, who has been raising these issues of late, took a swipe at Modi’s radio programme, “Mann Ki Baat” saying he was awaiting the Prime Minister’s sermons.
Rahul had earlier taken a jibe at Modi suggesting that the Rafale deal be mentioned during the radio programme. The PM had asked people to suggest ideas for his monthly programme.
“Modi ji, last month you ignored my suggestions for your Mann Ki Baat monologue. Why ask for ideas when in your heart you know what every Indian wants to hear you speak about? 1. Nirav Modi’s 22,000 cr. Loot & Scoot. 2. The 58,000 cr. RAFALE scam.
I look forward to your sermon,” Rahul tweeted on a day he campaigned in poll-bound Meghalaya. Sources said his tweet a day strategy is aimed at ensuring that the corruption issue finds regular mention in public discourse as the PM maintains studied silence on the charges leveled by the Congress party.
Party insiders said Modi had heaped corruption charges at the Congress in the run-up to the 2014 national polls in which the previous UPA lost power. It was the Congress’ turn now to pay back in the same coin.
In Rahul’s assessment, the PNB fraud coupled with the Rafale jet deal were big ticket scandals that BJP could be slammed with, party insiders added.
“Together, the two scams add up to `80,000 crore… a big amount and have a strong recall with the middle class,” said a senior AICC functionary. Congress sources said they hope the government would find it difficult to explain the lapses that led to the two diamond merchants Mehul Choksi and Nirav Modi chipping away `22,000 cr from the PNB’s coffers and fleeing the country.