'Who rejected Mandal Commission report?': Pralhad Joshi hits back at Rahul Gandhi over his 'chakravyuh' remark

A day after Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi used the 'chakravyuh' metaphor to say that an atmosphere of fear was created in the country, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi said that the 'chakravyuh' the Congress leader was talking about was indeed formed but it was for Congress' scams and corruptions. "We have zero tolerance towards corruption," he said while speaking to reporters. 

The minister also blasted the Congress leader for questioning the Centre on justice to SC, ST, and OBCs. Gandhi on Monday said that the INDIA bloc would carry out a caste census.   

"I would like to ask him one thing, if Rahul Gandhi and his mother ran the government for 10 years through a remote control, he tore an Ordinance. Why did they not have a Caste Census? Why are they indulging in 'dramabaazi' now? This is 'dramabaazi'. Who rejected Mandal Commission recommendations? He is speaking all this to cover up the corruption and scams during the last 60 years and to ensure that the people believe him," Joshi said. 

On Monday, Gandhi, while speaking on the budget in the Lok Sabha, claimed the fear was spreading through a 'chakravyuh' with everybody trapped in it, including BJP MPs, farmers, and workers. "Thousands of years ago in Haryana, in Kurukshetra, six people killed a youth, Abhimanyu, in a 'chakravyuh'. A 'chakravyuh' has violence and fear. Abhimanyu was trapped and killed in the 'chakravyuh'," he said. 

"In the 21st century, another 'chakravyuh' has been prepared, it is in the form of lotus and the prime minister (Narendra Modi) wears the symbol on his chest. What was done with Abhinmanyu is being done with youth, women, farmers and MSMEs," he said.

Reacting to Gandhi's speech in the Lok Sabha, BJP's Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said the way the LoP was speaking in the House, it seemed that he would eradicate all the problems with an 'Aladin ka Chirag'. "He was also talking 'Chakravyuh'. Congress is itself a 'Chakravyuh' where their own people get trapped, 'aisa koi saga nahi, jisko Congress ne thaga nahin'. The party was in captivation of a family. They can criticise the positive and constructive changes, but should not create fear and confusion," he said.