Rahul Gandhi had said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had launched a "fair and lovely scheme" to help tax evaders turn black or untaxed money into "white".
New Delhi:
Rahul Gandhi's 'Fair and Lovely' barbs at the government have been described as "racist" by a lawmaker of the ruling BJP who wants his apology in Parliament.
The Congress Vice President could also be asked to apologise for his remarks on Veer Savarkar, the freedom fighter who is counted among the BJP's biggest icons.
On Wednesday in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi took swipes at the government saying that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had launched a "fair and lovely scheme" to help tax evaders turn black or untaxed money into "white". "Modiji had promised that he would jail people with black money, now they have come up with ways to save those people," he said.
He underscored the point yesterday saying that defaulters were being offered a "fair and lovely" scheme by the Modi government but genuine taxpayers were being asked to pay tax on provident fund.
BJP lawmaker Arjun Meghwal said this morning: "We are preparing the notice. 'Fair and lovely' was a racist remark from Rahul Gandhi. It is unacceptable."
Mr Meghwal is likely to argue that ads for the fairness cream 'Fair and Lovely' have been raised strong objections because of their perceived racist tenor.
Another BJP lawmaker, Kiriti Somaiya, has said he will demand that Mr Gandhi apologise for insulting Veer Savarkar.
Rahul Gandhi had referred to the freedom fighter while mocking the government for allocating money to MGNREGA, the UPA's flagship job guarantee scheme once described by PM Modi as a symbol of the UPA's failure.
"It is named after Mahatma Gandhi and not Veer Savarkar," said the Congress leader. When BJP lawmakers protested, Mr Gandhi replied: "I said Gandhi is ours, Veer Savarkar is yours, am I wrong? Have you discarded Savarkar? Is he no longer your ideologue? If not, then that is good."
The Congress Vice President could also be asked to apologise for his remarks on Veer Savarkar, the freedom fighter who is counted among the BJP's biggest icons.
On Wednesday in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi took swipes at the government saying that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had launched a "fair and lovely scheme" to help tax evaders turn black or untaxed money into "white". "Modiji had promised that he would jail people with black money, now they have come up with ways to save those people," he said.
He underscored the point yesterday saying that defaulters were being offered a "fair and lovely" scheme by the Modi government but genuine taxpayers were being asked to pay tax on provident fund.
BJP lawmaker Arjun Meghwal said this morning: "We are preparing the notice. 'Fair and lovely' was a racist remark from Rahul Gandhi. It is unacceptable."
Mr Meghwal is likely to argue that ads for the fairness cream 'Fair and Lovely' have been raised strong objections because of their perceived racist tenor.
Another BJP lawmaker, Kiriti Somaiya, has said he will demand that Mr Gandhi apologise for insulting Veer Savarkar.
Rahul Gandhi had referred to the freedom fighter while mocking the government for allocating money to MGNREGA, the UPA's flagship job guarantee scheme once described by PM Modi as a symbol of the UPA's failure.
"It is named after Mahatma Gandhi and not Veer Savarkar," said the Congress leader. When BJP lawmakers protested, Mr Gandhi replied: "I said Gandhi is ours, Veer Savarkar is yours, am I wrong? Have you discarded Savarkar? Is he no longer your ideologue? If not, then that is good."
Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world
