Sharpening his attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the land bill, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Friday said farmers will reduce his “56-inch chest” to “5.6 inches” in six months and not an inch of land will be ceded.
He also took on the Vasundhara Raje government over her links with Lalit Modi, charging the Rajasthan government was being run by the ex-IPL boss’ remote in London.
Mr. Gandhi’s remarks come at a time when the government is planning to bring the contentious Land Bill in the monsoon session of Parliament beginning next week.
Addressing party workers here, Mr. Gandhi vowed not to allow passage of the Land bill in Parliament even though Modi government has thrice issued ordinances to this effect.
“First time such a government has come which is helping the opposition. Whenever they get an opportunity, government is helping the Congress. On farmers’ issue, they have issued an ordinance thrice. We will not allow the land bill to be passed in Parliament, you will see. Not a single inch of land will be given.
“This 56-inch chest will turn into 5.6 inches in six months. And who will turn this into 5.6 inches, it is the Congress party, people of the country, the farmers and the labourers, you will see,” Mr. Gandhi said, taking a jibe at the Prime Minister’s remark of “56-inch chest” made at the time of the Lok Sabha campaign.
The Congress vice-president also compared the Raje government with the British government in the pre-Independence era when the “remote” of the government was in London.
“The way that government’s remote was in London, the same way the remote control of this government is in London. He presses the button there and here she (Vasundhara Raje) jumps,” he alleged.
Accusing the Chief Minister of helping a “fugitive” who had amassed black money, he said, “She broke the Indian laws by helping a wanted fugitive, a corrupt man who made black money“.
“Here it is not a Vasundhara government, but a Lalit Modi government. Everyone in Rajasthan knows, this is not a BJP government or a Vasundhara government, it is Lalit Modi government here,” he charged.
BJP slams Rahul for jibes at Modi
The BJP said here on Friday that Rahul Gandhi should “grow out of diapers”, after the Congress vice-president took jibes at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying people would reduce his 56-inch chest to 5.6 inches.
The BJP said Mr. Gandhi was no longer a “toddler politician”, but his behaviour showed that he remained “a baby in diapers”.
Earlier, the Congress leader attacked the Centre and the Rajasthan government over several issues, including the Land Bill and the Lalit Modi scandal.
“His remarks, behaviour remind us that he remains a baby in diaper,” Mr. Singh said as he raked up the scams during the UPA rule and controversial land deals involving Mr. Gandhi’s brother-in-law, Robert Vadra. Apparently referring to a Lalit Modi tweet, Mr. Singh said Mr. Gandhi should speak about the likely “deal of Rs. 500-600 crore involving your [Rahul Gandhi's] mother’s sister”.
“Rahul has spoken about land, remote control and also 56 inch. As I said he is a toddler and it is not nice to give advice to a toddler. You have a right to criticise us. But criticise us on facts ... You should assume a more constructive role. You wasted 10 years ... From 2G, Coalgate, damadji [brother-in-law], you have now come down to istifaji [resignation],” he said tauntingly, referring to Opposition’s demand for the resignation of some BJP leaders over their alleged role in Vyapam scam and Lalitgate.
