New Delhi, Dec 15 (TNN) : BJP threw down the gauntlet before Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday, saying his allegations against PM Narendra Modi are a "damp squib" and that he is acting out of frustration.

"Why does he (Gandhi) need to be in Parliament to reveal something? In several corruption cases, reports have appeared in the media and then been taken up by Parliament. The truth is that his allegations are a damp squib," parliamentary affairs mini ster Ananth Kumar said.
HRD minister Prakash Javadekar said, "Congress and not the government will be exposed when Rahul Gandhi speaks. It is good for us if Rahul speaks." He dared Gandhi to make his charges public.

The parliamentary affairs minister said Rahul could speak under a motion filed by Telangana Rashtra Samithi, which has been admitted by the Lok Sabha Speaker, and reminded him that he can speak first only if he has submitted a notice in his name."So far, in this session, he has not submitted a single notice seeking to initiate a discussion," Kumar said. Javadekar refuted Rahul's allegation that he has been prevented from speaking in Parliament, saying Congress members did not speak in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday when the Speaker allowed them. "Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge refused to speak on Wednesday ," he said.

The HRD minister said Congress had become "AllIndia Currency Conduit (AICC)" pointing to a TV sting which purportedly showed a member offering to convert black money while sitting at the party headquarters in Delhi.

"While the government is firm on transforming the nation, Congress and opposition parties, like SP, BSP, NCP, which are staging protests in front of the Gandhi statue against demonetisation, are converting black money into white for commissions," he said.

Kumar said while Rahul was invoking his right to speak as an elected MP , his party has been throttling the rights of more than 400 MPs by disrupting the winter session from the start. "How is it that he suddenly wants to speak?

What prevents him from saying whatever he wants if he thinks it is a big revelation?" the minister asked.

"People know about Rahul Gandhi's love for black money as even after the SC order, no SIT against black money was set up for three years (during UPA rule)," Javadekar said. Responding to Rahul's jibe that the PM has time to take part in pop concerts but not for Parliament, Javadekar said the Congress leader had vanished for 50 days after the 2014 polls without anyone having a clue.

Kumar said, "Only an honest and brave PM could have decided on demonetisation. If he (Rahul) says the PM knows nothing about black money ,I agree, as it is he (Rahul) who knows all about black money ."