NEW DELHI: In a scathing attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his remark that the NPR was a "tax on the poor", Union Minister Prakash Javadekar on Friday termed him the "biggest liar of 2019".
"NPR is the right step to help poor. People are appreciating that all over the country. Only few are opposing. Congress is opposing because they want illegal immigration... they see political benefit in it," Javadekar said.
Terming Gandhi's claim as as "absurd", he alleged that the reason for giving "such statements" are to create "political instability". Gandhi had, earlier in the day, said: "Whether it is NRC, NPR, it's a tax on poor people. Demonetisation was a tax on poor people - go to the bank, can't take money from your own account."
"Poor people will have to go to officers and show their documents and give bribe. They will have to give bribe if there is a slight mistake in their names. Crores of rupees will be pulled out of the pockets of the poor and will be given to the same 15 people. This is the truth. It is an attack on the people."
Javadekar claimed that the NPR is a pro-poor endeviour by the government and Gandhi's remark was unacceptable.