Rahul Gandhi is taking PM's name to remain in news: Venkaiah Naidu

Bengaluru, Sep 20: Hitting out at Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi for his "suit boot" remarks against Narendra Modi, Union Minister M Venkaiah Nadu today termed it as "childish and immature" and accused him of taking the name of Prime Minister to remain in the news.

Naidu also sought to turn the tables against Gandhi, saying Rahul's grandfather Jawaharlal Nehru and father Rajiv Gandhi too had used the "suit boot" attire.

"....now he (Rahul) is also talking about suit boot (suit boot ki sarkar), forgetting his grandfather used to wear suit boot, forgetting his father used to wear suit boot. Are you criticising your grandfather and father? Are you ridiculing them?" the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs asked.

Attacking the Congress leader for his suit-boot jibe made at an election rally in Bihar, Naidu said, "Please think before you speak, there should be some maturity in what you speak. Don't be childish and immature. Making such cheap comments against the Prime Minister of the country- that too on a personal dress...."

Pointing out that the suit presented to the Prime Minister was auctioned and the money was used for public purpose, he said, "....I don't know who is writing his script, who is writing the speech, but they are misleading him."

Launching the Congress campaign in assembly poll-bound Bihar, Rahul Gandhi had yesterday raked up the "suit boot ki sarkar" jibe to target the Modi government, warning people that they would lose their land and livelihood if NDA came to power in the state.

Painting Modi and BJP-led NDA as a 'club of rich', he had said, "While the Mahatma shed his suit and donned a dhoti as he led the poor farmers, Modi who claimed to have started as a chaiwala (tea seller) started wearing Rs 15 lakh suit after becoming Prime Minister."

When a reporter persisted with the issue, Naidu said, "....we need not focus on him. He is trying to take the name of the Prime Minister, so that he is in the news..."

Slamming the Congress, he said it was still unable to reconcile with the reality and continuing its 'disinformation' campaign against the government.

"Words for the poor and deeds for the rich had been policy of the Congress over the years," he added.

PTI