Govt gives promotions to ministers for attacking Rahul Gandhi: Congress ahead of cabinet reshuffle

PTI Photo

PTI Photo

New Delhi, July 6 (PTI): Ahead of the cabinet reshuffle, the Congress on Tuesday said this government gives promotions to ministers who attack party leader Rahul Gandhi on Twitter and rewards governors against whom there are complaints of "impropriety".

Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera said this on a day when new governors were appointed in eight states by the president. "This is a strange government. If a governor is found indulging in impropriety, that governor is most likely to be rewarded.

"Likewise, I think the only criteria before a cabinet reshuffle, which (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi looks for, is their Twitter timelines. How much have they attacked Rahul Gandhi," he told reporters when asked about the cabinet reshuffle.

Khera said higher the number of tweets against the former Congress chief, the better it is for a minister. "Because the ministers in the Modi cabinet are not there to deliver, not there to do anything in terms of governance, their portfolios, the only unspoken rule for the cabinet of Mr Modi is go attack Mr Rahul Gandhi," he said.

"There is only one ability that Union ministers should possess to earn a high rank in the cabinet, and that Modi feels is based on how much they tweet against Rahul Gandhi. Their promotion will be based on that," Khera said.

The Congress leader also asked whether the government has changed any of the governors against whom charges of impropriety have been made. He named the West Bengal and Rajasthan governors, and the administrator of Lakshadweep.

"Have they changed the governor who was found indulging in all kinds of constitutional impropriety in West Bengal? Have they changed the governor who was found selling his autobiography to vice-chancellors in Rajasthan? Have they changed any of those governors against whom there are charges of financial impropriety, for example the administrator of Lakshadweep?" he asked.