For every "AA" there is an "RV", Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said today in a stinging retort to the Congress during her reply on the Rafale debate in parliament. No names were taken but the barb was fired straight at Congress president Rahul Gandhi, sitting across the floor of the Lok Sabha.
"For every AA there is not just an RV but a 'Q' also. Abbreviations for a joke can be easy for anybody... it's a double-edged sword, it can come back," said the minister. She added that RV was not the "damad (son-in-law)" of the PM but that of the country.
The ruling BJP has repeatedly targeted the Gandhis and the Congress over the alleged land deals of Robert Vadra, the son-in-law of Sonia Gandhi.
On Wednesday during the Rafale debate, Rahul Gandhi, when asked not to mention Anil Ambani - the industrialist is not a member of parliament - shot back, "I can't say Anil Ambani? Is this a new rule not to take Anil Ambani's name in the house? Not even AA? Not even BJP member? Can I say Double A?"
He proceeded to address Anil Ambani as "AA" in the rest of his statement.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley's acerbic, no-holds barred counter also starred an abbreviation.
"Was he playing the lap of one Q, about who in the Bofors case, the CEO had in his diary written - Q must be protected at all accounts," the Finance Minister questioned.
Q was a reference to Ottavio Quattrocci, an Italian businessman accused of acting as middleman in the Bofors scandal.
Disclaimer: NDTV has been sued for 10,000 crores by Anil Ambani's Reliance Group for its coverage of the Rafale deal
Watch: Nirmala Sitharaman Takes Part In Pre-Budget 'Halwa' Ceremony "Take Immediate Action": Rahul Gandhi On INDIA's Bihar Ally Brutal Murder Union Budget 2024: Who Has Presented Most Number Of Budgets? 25,000 Aspirants For Airport Jobs Paying Rs 22,000: A Mumbai Stampede Scare 4 Top Leaders Quit Ajit Pawar's Party In Major Setback After Poll Drubbing Karnataka's 100% Quota Bill For Kannadigas In Private Firms For These Posts MCom, BBA, BCom: The Many Aspirants For Handyman's Job At Mumbai Airport Why Donald Trump Picked JD Vance As His Vice President Candidate Rs 1.98 Crore Relief In Mercedes Hit-And-Run, Car Was Driven By Minor Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.