Rahul Gandhi seeks reply from PM Modi over Jay Shah episode

New Delhi: Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi on Monday launched a scathing attack on the central government riding on the allegations made by a news website against Jay Shah, son of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Amit Shah.

Ridiculing the Centre, he asked in a tweet, "Modi ji, Jay Shah-'Zada' ate up a lot (Jay Shah has embezzled a lot of money). Were you a watchman or a partner in the crime? Say something."

https://twitter.com/OfficeOfRG/status/917275071663685632

BJP and the Centre have been under fire of the Opposition since a news website alleged that the turnover of a company, where Jay Shah is a Director, has increased 16,000 times since the change in power in the country back in 2014.

Later in the day, Rahul Gandhi reached Gujarat and addressed a enthusiastic crowds in Nadiad region of the state. He is is PM Modi's home town as part of the second phase of his party's Navsarjan Yatra in the poll-bound state

Gandhi took pot shots at the Modi government as the gathering cheered loudly.

"When it comes to helping, they help only a handful of industrialists. For 10-12 years, Amit Shah's son's company had nothing, but started earning only after 2014. 'Ajeeb duniya hain' (It's a strange world). He (Jay Shah) started with Rs 50,000, and in a year it jumped to Rs 80 crore. This is 'Start Up India', 'Make in India'," he said, mocking the Prime Minister's pet schemes.

At his aggressive best, Gandhi went on an interactive mode while addressing the crowd. "Complete my sentence, 'Na khaunga, Na khaney dunga. Kahan gaya chowkidar? Ye hain Gujarat ki sachchai (I will not indulge in corruption, nor let others indulge in corruption. Where is the gatekeeper? This is the reality of Gujarat)," he said, as the cheering crowds repeated after him.

Gandhi was referring to Modi who has often said he is the chowkidar of the nation and will not allow any corruption.

Quoting from Modi's earlier speeches, Gandhi said in a taunt: "Chhappan ki chhaati hain. Mein akela rozgar dunga. Kisiko kuchh nahi karna padega (I have a 56-inch chest. I will alone provide employment. No one needs to do anything).

"Every 24 hours, 30,000 unemployed youth come in the job market but only 450 get jobs. In China, everyday 50,000 youth get jobs. The biggest problem in this country is unemployment.

"Modi should accept he has failed. He should say the promises I gave, I was not able to fulfil, and I have failed."

He said that former BJP Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee acknowledged in Parliament that the Congress party had done developmental work, but Modi was constantly blaming it.

"For 22 years, you are with the Congress party. I will not forget this, you will be respected. Iss mandir mein kisike Mann ki Baat nahi suni jaati," he said taking a pot shot at Modi's monthly radio talk show Mann ki Baat.

Gandhi spoke to the crowds at the popular historic Santram Temple in Nadiad. It is a 250 year old temple highly revered by the people. A spirited Gandhi also gave a flying kiss to crowds and they applauded loudly. He was also seen taking pictures from his cell phone.

The Congress leader was greeted by enthusiastic crowds wherever he went in Central Gujarat's Charotar region. The ruling BJP and Congress are evenly placed in this region.

The Congress lost two senior legislators, Shankersinh Vaghela and Ramsinh Parmar, during the run up to the August Rajya Sabha elections in this region.

Later, the Congress Vice President visited the home of Sardar Patel in Karamsad and garlanded his statue as well as one of Mahatma Gandhi. Sardar Patel, who was born at his maternal uncle's home in Nadiad, belonged to Karamsad in the same region.

Addressing crowds there, Gandhi again attacked Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah.

"Is it Start Up India, is it Make in India. Modi destroyed small traders, ordinary people, and from that fire rose a company, that of Amit Shah's son," he said, to loud cheers.

He was also interact with workers of the Amul dairy plant.

Gandhi's latest visit comes a day after Prime Minister Modi ended his two-day trip to Gujarat, where he visited his hometown Vadnagar and launched the "Intensified Mission Indradhanush".

Earlier on Sunday, the Congress scion had hit out at the Modi government, saying, "We finally found the only beneficiary of Demonetisation. It's not the RBI, the poor or the farmers. It's the Shah-in-Shah of Demo. Jai Amit."

Jay Shah, as well as BJP, have rubbished the allegations and have threatened to sue the news website for an amount of Rs 100 crore for spreading false, derogatory and defamatory rumours against him.

Apart from Gandhi and Congress party, CPI-M and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) have also strongly slammed the Centre over the allegations and have also sought Amit Shah's resignation as the BJP chief.

Defending himself and his business, Jay Shah said that his businesses were fully legitimate and he had decided to "prosecute the author, editor and owner of the aforesaid news website for criminal defamation and sue them for an amount of Rs. 100 crore".

He said the article creates an impression "that my business owes its success to my father Sri Amit Bhai Shah's political position".