‘Irresponsible opposition mocked woman Raksha Mantri’: PM Modi attacks Rahul

Agra, Jan 10: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday attacked Congress chief Rahul Gandhi for his statement directed at defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

Addressing a rally in Rajasthan's capital earlier in the day, Rahul Gandhi invoked the Raksha Mantri while attacking the Prime Minister, seemingly chiding the latter for having asked 'a woman' to protect him.

"The Prime Minister with the 56-inch-chest didn't come even once to the people's court - the Parliament. We smashed the Raksha Mantri's speech. 56-inch-chest Prime Minister said to a woman 'protect me'."

The Prime Minister delivered a speech hours later in Agra where he let rip at the Congress president for his remarks, hailing Nirmala Sitharaman for her achievement in becoming the first woman Defence Minister in India's history, adding that Rahul Gandhi's remarks entailed an insult to women across the country.

Without taking her name, he said that a couple of days ago, she had answered the Opposition's questions (on Rafale) in Parliament and had left them speechless.
"When she called their bluff and revealed the truth (about the Rafale deal) in Parliament, they (Congress) was left stunned and resorted to mocking the defence minister," Modi said.

"They insulted a woman defence minister. They didn't insult just a woman defence minister, but all women of the country. And for that these irresponsible, sexist politicians must pay," Modi said.