Rahul Gandhi’s no-holds-barred attack on PM Narendra Modi at Rajasthan rally

Congress chief Rahul Gandhi attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his “silence” on the Rafale fighter aircraft deal with France and the Centre’s “failure” to bring Vijay Mallya to book.

In a no-holds-barred attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said people are now heard saying that the country’s “watchman” is a “thief”.

Rahul Gandhi was addressing a rally in tribal-dominated Sagwara in Rajasthan’s Dungarpur district. (PTI)

The remark at a public meeting provoked immediate condemnation by the BJP with Union minister Smriti Irani telling reporters it showed that the Congress leader has no respect for the Prime Minister’s post.

Gandhi was referring to the Prime Minister’s “silence” on the Rafale fighter aircraft deal with France and the Modi government’s “failure” to bring fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya to book.

Modi had said he did not want to become the country’s Prime Minister but its ‘chowkidar’ (watchman), Gandhi said.

He added that now, it is heard on the streets that the country’s ‘chowkidar’ is a thief. “Galli galli me shor hai, Hindustan ka chowkidar chor hai,” he said in Hindi at a rally in tribal-dominated Sagwara area.

Assembly elections will be held in Rajasthan later this year.