PM secured own future by calling Rahul as UP's future:BJP

Lucknow, Apr 16 (UNI) The BJP today ridiculed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's statement that Congress MP Rahul Gandhi was the future of Uttar Pradesh, saying the young Congress leader's recent ''irresponsible'' comments on the Babri Masjid and Pakistan had exposed his ''immaturity''.

''Rahul may not be the future of UP but one thing is sure that by saying so, the Prime Minister secured his future in the Congress,'' state BJP president Keshari Nath Tripathi said here.

Blasting Rahul for giving his family the credit for securing India's freedom and creating Bangladesh, the senior BJP leader said the Amethi MP might become popular by his ''immature'' statements but ''hailing him as the future of Uttar Pradesh is just too far-fetched''.

''Rahul should now say that India did not exist without his family,'' Mr Tripathi remarked in a lighter vein.

''Rahul owes an explanation as to who was responsible for the loss of Indian territory after the Sino-India war in 1962, creation of Bhinderanwala, imposition of emergency, mass killing of Sikhs in the country and strangulation of press freedom,'' he added.

''It is good that the immaturity of the Congress MP came to the fore before it mattered,'' he said.

UNI