'Spoilt child' Rahul hits back at uncle Pravin Mahajan

New Delhi, June 15 (UNI) Lashing back at his uncle Pravin Mahajan, Rahul Mahajan answered in one brief sentence the various claims of his father's assassin today while also challenging his authority to speak about the embattled family.

''It is all wrong. He himself has done more harm and damage to the family. So what can he say,'' Rahul said during his interaction with the media here when asked about Pravin's contentions that late Pramod Mahajan had spoiled him and that he was given to poor habits.

Earlier, addressing the crowded press conference, the first after he got embroiled in the drugs abuse charge, the son of the former BJP General Secretary quoted a trademark double-edged sentence by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to explain his predicament: ''We spend far too much time preparing the path for our youth, and far too little time preparing our youth for the path'', he quoted Mr Vajpayee as having said once.

One of the debating points since his drugs abuse case hit headlines was about the time politicians devote to their children in their busy lives.

While being escorted to jail from a Mumbai court, Pravin Mahajan had told reporters yesterday that Rahul had been spoilt by his parents and that the Mahajan family was now hostage to persons close to the former BJP leader.

Claiming that ''this has been happening for the past five-six years'', he asked Mr Vajpayee to explain whether he knew about the activities at Mr Mahajan's 7 Safdarjang Road residence, where the June 2 drinks and drugs party involving Rahul had taken place.

''It happened in a ministerial bungalow. The Prime Minister stays nearby. Did the former Prime Minister know about it? If he did, what did he do? If he did not know, what was he doing in six years of rule?'' Pravin was quoted as having said.

UNI AN/VN MSJ BD2047