As it happened: Rahul hits out at Modi, says mock me but answer my questions

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi hit back at Narendra Modi over the government’s demonetisation move on Thursday, hours after the Prime Minister ridiculed him over allegations of corruption.

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi hit back at Narendra Modi over the government’s demonetisation move on Thursday, hours after the Prime Minister ridiculed him over allegations of corruption.

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi (ANI)

In Varanasi, Modi said he was the happiest since the Congress leader “learnt” to speak as he unwittingly admitted the “failure” of his party’s reign.

Watch: PM Modi mocks Rahul Gandhi

Here is are the highlights of Gandhi’s address in Bahraich:

4:00pm: You can mock me if you want, but PM Modi, you have to answer if these facts of corruption are true? And this isn’t what I’m asking; these are question from India’s youth

3:58pm: You have hurt the earnings of the poor, of these women (indicating the audience). Then you said one could only deposit Rs 5,000, and explain deposits above that

3:56pm: We are not against cashless economy, but we do not want India to be cheated

3:55pm: Modi attempted to deflect attention by talking about terrorists

3:53pm: Modi has created a black market on top of the black market

3:50pm: By locking Rs 8 lakh crore of your money in the banks, he is helping the super rich with their loans

3:45pm: I was told Modi is a super event planner in the most spectacular ways. He thinks about everything.

3:42pm: In the past 2.5 years, PM Modi hasn’t done anything for the poor

3:42pm: How many black money holders have been put in jail by (PM Narendra) Modi? Not even one; instead he allowed (Lalit) Modi and (Vijay) Mallya to run away

3:40pm: How do people pay for things —with their debit or credit cards? No, they pay with cash.

3:39pm: Everyday our farmers are committing suicide... we went to the PM with these problems, but the PM did not say even one word

3:37pm: Modi has fire-bombed the poor. Those in ‘suit-boot’ weren’t the ones standing in line (outside the ATMs, banks)... it was the poor

3:31pm: How many black money holders have been put in jail by (PM Narendra) Modi? Not even one; instead he allowed (Lalit) Modi and (Vijay) Mallya to run away

3:30pm: Only 6% of black money in cash; the remaining is in real estate, foreign bank accounts and gold

3:26pm: All of black money isn’t in cash, and all cash isn’t black money: Rahul Gandhi

3:25pm: Black money isn’t with the 99% of people standing in line; it isn’t in cash. It is with the 1% of rich people

3:21pm: Did not see any suit-boot people standing in line outside ATMs: Rahul Gandhi

3:21pm: Demonetisation move wasn’t against corrupt, but against poor and weak of the country: Rahul Gandhi

3:20pm: PM Modi didn’t answer me, but made fun of my questions: Rahul Gandhi hits back