‘Someone’s damaad made Rs 1,000 crore’ Modi tells Indian diaspora

The Congress fielded senior leader Anand Sharma in New Delhi to counter charges levelled by Modi. The Rajya Sabha MP in a no-holds-barred counter- attack said the Prime Minister needed “very serious counselling” and accused him of dragging the political narrative to the “gutter level” in his US tour.

Visibly hurt at Modi targeting the party on corruption in general and Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s son-in-law Robert Vadra in particular, Sharma sought an independent inquiry into organisation of public events for the Prime Minister during his foreign tours and the source of “millions of dollars” required for hosting them.

Last night, deprecating corruption in governance back home, Prime Minister said he had provided graft-free governance. He also said that corruption during the previous government had triggered anger among people.

“In our country it doesn’t take much for allegations to come up against politicians... Someone made 50 crores, someone’s son made 250 crores, (someone’s) daughter made 500 crores, (someone’s) <g data-gr-id="74">damaad</g> (son-in-law) made 1000 crores...” he said addressing the Indian community at the packed SAP Centre in San Jose, California.

Switching to a <g data-gr-id="73">question answer</g> mode, he asked the audience, 

“Is the country not disappointed?” 

Modi then asked, “I am standing before you. Tell me if there is any allegation against me.”

“No,” people shouted. He then told the crowd that he is giving every minute of his life in the service of the nation and he would live and die for the country.

Infuriated at Modi touching the raw nerve, the Congress spokesperson too launched personal attack on the Prime Minister. Referring to the Prime Minister getting emotional and breaking down while recalling events about his mother, Sharma said, “True to his characteristic style, the Prime Minister once again engaged in theatrics, emotion and drama, making boastful claims.”

“Is it not the duty of a son to look after the well-being of his mother,” the Congress leader said recalling that Modi was chief minister of Gujarat for 12 years and said then and even now he has not brought her to his home. He did not also bring her to his swearing-in ceremony as prime minister in New Delhi last year,” Sharma added.

Sharma also questioned Modi’s claim that he sold tea as a child and that his mother became a housemaid to look after him. These claims about himself were “not correct”, he said, adding in his childhood Modi used to manage the counter in his uncle’s canteen.

“The Prime Minister is misusing his official visits abroad and we demand an independent inquiry (into the rallies)...with 100s of millions of dollars spent in their organisation with activists of the RSS and others going months ahead for preparations,” he remarked demanding an enquiry into such public functions. More reports on PG7