Rahul spreading false news; no one can threaten Modi's India: Ravi Shankar

Amidst the rising tension in east Ladakh along the Sino-India border, Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Wednesday said that no one can threaten Narendra Modi's India

Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Wednesday rejected Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's handing of the coronavirus outbreak.

In response to new IANS agency's question during an online press conference on Wednesday, Prasad called Rahul an "irresponsible person" and said that the Prime Minister "always plays on the front foot... and will continue to do so".

Prasad said, "The whole world has seen the courageous decisions taken by the Prime Minister of India. When Covid-19 ends, we should then analyse how the country with so much diversity accepted Modi's request (for the lockdown). Rahul Gandhi is engaged in undermining the nation's resolve."

The Minister also reeled out statistics to show what he dubbed the success in the ongoing war against coronavirus in the country. "India has a population of 137 crore, and 4,345 deaths and over 64,000 recoveries, whereas the top 15 countries in the world have a total population of 142 crore and have seen more than 300,000 corona deaths. Through the lockdown, our Prime Minister has united the country."

Prasad pointed out that the Congress leader had accused the Indian Council of Medical Research of irregularities in purchases. "For the first time, the ICMR had to explain that they did not make any such purchases, and those made by them were at the lowest prices. Rahul Gandhi has begun to level false allegations against such organisations just for the sake of politics."

The Law Minister accused Rahul Gandhi of "trying to undermine India's resolve". "He is spreading negativity. Working against the country in times of crisis, and trying to take credit falsely, say something and do something else, and spreading false news also," said Prasad.

Prasad said that Chief Ministers of Congress-ruled states did not listen to Rahul Gandhi. "He raises questions on the lockdown, but the Punjab and Maharashtra governments had proposed to extend the lockdown till May 31. After all, why can he not explain this thing to his chief ministers?" asked the Union Minister.

"Rahul Gandhi raises questions on the Aarogya Setu app, but Maharashtra and Punjab have insisted on using this like a super shield. Is this app doing surveillance? Rahul Gandhi questions labour laws, but preparations are going on to have 12-hour shift for workers in Rajasthan. Why are his chief ministers not agreeing with Rahul Gandhi?"

Regarding the ongoing standoff between Indian and Chinese troops at Ladakh boder, Prasad asserted that no country can stare down India under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"Narendra Modi ke Bharat ko koi aankh nahi dikha sakta (No country can stare down PM Modi's India)," BJP leader and Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said in Hindi during a press conference.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had asked the Modi government on Tuesday to be transparent about the border situation with China.

Amidst the rising tension in east Ladakh along the Sino-India border, Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Wednesday said that no one can threaten Narendra Modi's India.

On being asked about the face-off at the Line of Actual Control, he gave a one-liner reply: "No one can dare to stare at Modi's India."

Prasad refused to elaborate on the Sino-India face-off and centred his attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.

Prasad's reply on the border tension came at a time when Chinese President Xi Jinping had on Tuesday ordered his military to scale up the battle preparedness, considering the worst-case scenarios and asked them to resolutely defend the country's sovereignty.

Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday demanded from the government a statement on the stand-off at the border in Ladakh and Sikkim and relations with Nepal.

The political slugfest between the BJP and the Congress was triggered by the continuing face-off between India and China in eastern Ladakh after a clash between soldiers from both sides on two occasions. According to reports, Indian and Chinese Army personnel clashed along the northern bank of the Pangong Lake in Ladakh on May 5. Four days later, a face-off between the two sides was witnessed near Naku La Pass in Sikkim.

This is the first major stand-off between India and China after the Doklam episode in 2017 when Indian and Chinese forces saw a major face-off over construction of a road by China.