Hitting back at Rahul Gandhi for his statement that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not be able to face the Lok Sabha even for 15 minutes, the BJP on Wednesday said such a challenge from the Congress president, who cannot speak anywhere for as many minutes "without consulting a slip" is "laughable."
UP BJP spokesperson Rakesh Tripathi told PTI, "The Congress president cannot speak for 15 minutes without consulting a slip. In any public event or even in the Parliament, Rahul Gandhi has been unable to speak at length for 15 minutes...And, in this case, challenging Prime Minister Narendra Modi is laughable."
He added, "It was due to the antics of the opposition that the functioning of the Parliament was stalled. If anybody is stopping Rahul Gandhi from speaking in the Parliament, it is the Congress."
Tripathi also said, "When the students asked Rahul Gandhi valid questions on development, Rahul Gandhi tried to shift the blame to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath."
"In fact, Rahul Gandhi must answer as to why the parliamentary constituencies of Amethi and Rae Bareli have been deprived of the basic amenities, despite both the seats having been represented in the Lok Sabha maximum number of times by the Gandhi family. The Gandhi family had also held power in the Centre for a long duration of time," he said.
The UP BJP spokesperson also said Rahul Gandhi has virtually failed in raising the issues and problems pertaining to his parliamentary constituency.
"Tell me how many times Rahul Gandhi has written a letter to prime minister or chief minister or met them to apprise them of the problems that people face in his constituency," Tripathi said.
He said various developmental schemes rather begun reaching Amethi and Rae Bareli after the BJP formed governments at the Centre and in UP.
Exuding confidence that BJP would emerge victorious in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Tripathi said, "The people of Amethi and Rae Bareli are now ready to teach Congress a lesson."
While speaking to reporters on Tuesday in Amethi, Rahul Gandhi had said the prime minister, who has the time to travel all over the country, could not spare 15 minutes for the Lok Sabha.
"The prime minister is travelling across the country, but he does not have 15 minutes to give a speech in the Lok Sabha," Rahul Gandhi had told reporters on the second day of his three-day visit to his Parliamentary constituency.
"15 minute de dein, khare nahin ho payenge Lok Sabha mein (He will not be able to face the Lok Sabha even for 15 minutes, he will not be able to answer our queries)," he said.