Rhetoric of a loser devoid of substance: Nirmala Sitharaman on Rahul Gandhi's speech

Hours after Rahul Gandhi delivered one of the blistering attacks on the ruling BJP dispensation linking it with the Kauravas in epic Mahabharat, BJP leader and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said ''It sounds like a rhetoric of a loser devoid of substance''. 

She also attacked the Congress for identifying itself with the Pandavas. 

''Congress Party wants to identify itself with the Pandavas, The same party which questioned the fundamental existence of Lord Ram. It is the party which chooses to mock Hindus and Hindu rituals,'' she said.

Accusing the Congress party of not believing in transparency, she said Congress was questioning the EVMs at this time, they want ballot paper system. ''At a time when technology is making it simpler and more transparent, here is a party that is against it because they don't believe in transparency,'' she said. 

Responding to Rahul Gandhi's charge that BJP has accepted a man accused of murder as the President of the party, she said it was astonishing that Congress President chooses to name BJP President Amit Shah and says he is murder accused. He has been cleared by a Court. ''This is a fake and false motivated campaign by someone who is out on bail on the criminal conspiracy of fraud in National Herald case,'' Sitharaman said. 

Without naming the BJP president Amit Shah, he said they will accept a man accused of murder as the President of the BJP, but they will never ever accept the same in the Congress Party because they hold Congress in the highest regard. 

Meanwhile, Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said Rahul Gandhi's rant was ''shameful''. The way he spoke of the judiciary was irresponsible, he added.