Rahul Gandhi's allegations against PM Narendra Modi baseless: BJP

NEW DELHI: Rejecting as "baseless" the allegations levelled by Rahul Gandhi against the Prime Minister, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar today said they were made out of "desperation" and asked the Congress Vice President to apologise. He also said that opposition parties were not ready for a debate in Parliament and dismissed their charge that the government was not allowing the House to function. On Rahul's accusation against the Prime Minister, Kumar said, "Had he any information, he would have said it by now. It is a baseless allegation. He is saying this out of frustration. Today they are saying they are not being allowed to speak. It is wrong because everyday Congress members are coming to the well of the House. Now they are making trying to spread rumour and baseless allegations." The Congress Vice President has alleged that he has detailed information about "personal corruption" by Prime Minister Narendra Modi which he wants to present in Lok Sabha but is not being allowed to do so by the PM. Kumar said, "Rahul Gandhi and his party MPs and other Opposition parties are holding up Parliament for the last 20 days. BJP-led NDA has very clearly said that it ready for debate on the crusade against the black money initiated by Prime Minister Modi." On opposition's charge that the government was not allowing the House to function, he said, "I want to ask Rahul Gandhi where he was hiding all these days. Parliament has started since November 16. Everyday we used to ask Congress, TMC, Left to debate. But they were taking up rules and regulations, technicalities and were not ready to debate." Referring to a sting operation shown in a channel purportedly showing currency note exchanges allegedly in AICC headquarters, Kumar said, "We are ready for debate. Yesterday, a channel had shown what happened in AICC headquarters. Congress has been exposed as it has happened in the party headquarters.That is why he is saying this out of frustration. After the expose, he should apologise to the nation." Taking on Congress, he further said, "Those who had blocked the functioning of the House are making allegations. It is really shameful that Congress is behaving like this." Asked comment on Rahul's allegation, Information and Broadcasting Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said, "Who has stopped them in all these days. First let the allegations come what is the point talking meaningless like that."