First explain how money was taken away under your nose, Rahul to PM

ATHANI (KARNA): Dismissing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's statement that strict action would be taken in the PNB fraud case, Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Saturday asked him to first explain how the money was taken away from the bank under his government's RPT government's nose.

"A scam of Rs 22,000 crore happens, Nirav Modi runs away with Rs 22,000 crore from Indian Banks and Modiji (Prime Minister) says action will be taken," Gandhi said addressing a rally in poll-bound Karnataka.

"Action will be taken? You first make us understand how did Nirav Modi take Rs 22,000 crore from Indian banks under the nose of Narendra Modi's government," he said, reports PTI.

He demanded to know why the Finance Minister and Modi "allowed this to happen".

At a women's rally in Tikota, Gandhi questioned Modi's silence over the Rafale fighter jet deal and attacked him over the Nirav Modi issue, also asking why Vijay Mallya and Lalit Modi are still in London.

"Modi ji should also make us understand why Vijay Mallya and Lalit Modi are sitting in London. Someone takes Rs 10,000 crore, someone takes Rs 15,000 crore and some one takes Rs 22,000 crore, and the Prime Minister of the country does not do anything," he said.

"But when farmers of India asks for loan waiver of Rs 50,000 or Rs one lakh, Narendra Modi ji does not answer," he added.

Breaking his silence over the Rs 11,400-crore fraud at India's second-biggest PSU bank, Modi on Friday warned of strict action against those involved in financial irregularities and said loot of public money would not be tolerated.