BJP-RAHUL IN WAR OF WORDS

BJP spokesman Sambit Patra on Thursday slammed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi as “jhooton ka sardar” (master of lies) on questioning PM Modi for his claim that no detention centres have been set up in Assam to lodge those failing to get into NRC. “Yes, there are detention camps in Assam, but they were set up when the Congress was in power both at the centre and the state,” he told media in New Delhi. Patra released an official statement issued way back in 2011 by the Congress-led UPA govt that detention centres have been set up in Assam. He showed a “white paper” on the issue of illegal migrants talking about setting up detention centres. “There’s no connection between these centres and the NRC,” he said.

Rahul had attached a video clip of Modi accusing the Congress of spreading rumours Muslims will be sent to detention centres and posted a photo of a purported detention centre being constructed in Assam to dub Modi a liar. “Rahul Gandhi is calling our PM a liar. But he is the liar. No detention centre has been set up to lodge non-citizens detected in Assam. Three detention centres were actually set up in Assam by his party when it was in power

both at the centre and the state,” Patra said.

Contradicting Patra's claim of three detention centres in Assam, the Congress tweeted the "truth" based on the home ministry's replies in Parliament to point out that there are six detention camps in the state. As many as 1133 persons were detained in these camps, 769 of them for more than one year and 335 for more than three years, the tweet said. On HM Amit Shah asserting there is no link between NPR and NRC, Congress tweeted his govt has claimed the link 9 times in Parliament. “Liar liar, the country’s on fire. Does HM Amit Shah care to tell the truth or is he afraid of PM Modi’s ire,” it asked.