Rahul Gandhi speech is the rhetoric of a loser: Nirmala Sitharaman

"The rhetoric of a loser" is how senior BJP leader and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman described Congress president Rahul Gandhi's attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP, its president Amit Shah and RSS.

"It sounds like the rhetoric of a loser, devoid of substance. In a sheer display of brazenness, he accused the national president of BJP, against whom there is no case as he was cleared by the court. See how much of this rhetoric continues in these two days. The rhetoric of a loser is there in every statement he is making," Sitahraman said.

This was in reference to Rahul's attack on Shah over an alleged case of fake encounter in which he was given a clean chit. Sitharaman called the case "a conspiracy based on fraud" and deprecated Rahul for referring to it.

Responding to Rahul's comparison of BJP to the Kauravas, Sitharaman said, "A party which questioned the fundamental existence of 'Shree (Lord) Ram' today wants to be identified with the 'pandavas'. It is the party which chooses to mock Hindus and Hindu rituals," she said.

Sitharaman also called Congress anti-technology for calling for a return to the days of paper ballots despite technological advancements to make things easy.

Sitharaman also took on Rahul for his allegations that BJP was curbing press freedom and independence of judiciary, reminding him of the times of his grandmother and former Prime Minister late Indira Gandhi.