Rahul Gandhi's comment today that "only the corrupt need to fear Prime Minister Narendra Modi" provoked a back-handed compliment from Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who remarked it was "good to see him speaking the truth".
"Even Rahul Gandhi admits that corrupt people have fear of Modi Govt. Good to see him speak truth for a change, hope it doesn't turn out to be a one time thing (sic)," Mr Sarma tweeted, sharing a video of the Congress leader saying those words.
Rahul Gandhi launched a searing attack on PM Modi this morning, accusing him of "treason" in the massive controversy involving potential targets in India of Israeli Pegasus spyware, which enables tracking through hacked phones and can be sold only to governments.
Mr Gandhi is among the names found on a leaked database of potential targets in an investigation by The Wire, Washington and other media houses worldwide.
"I am not a 'potential target'. My phone is tapped, it is clearly tapped. Not only this phone, all my phones are tapped," the Congress leader said.
When reporters asked him whether he was worried, he replied: "I am not afraid. I don't get intimidated. In this country, if you are corrupt and a thief, you will be afraid of Modi. If you are neither of those, you have nothing to be afraid of," he said.
The government rejected Mr Gandhi's demand for a court-monitored inquiry into snooping allegations.
"We have clarified everything in the spyware case. There is no issue for any probe. Those who are making allegations are political failures and they have no other issue," Minister of State for Home Affairs Ajay Kumar told NDTV.
