"Even if I'm part of the BJP, I speak for the people and the country first," said Shatrughan Sinha
In a fiery speech, BJP leader Shatrughan Sinha, who shared the stage with opposition leaders at Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee's rally of unity said that he hadn't seen a more jaandar (lively), shaandar (grand) and damdaar (powerful) rally in his life.
Mr Sinha ripped into his party and Prime Minister Narendra Modi at today's rally. Calling the GST as "neem pe karela" (rubbing salt on wound) soon after demonetization, he said, did Prime Minister Narendra Modi think of the farmers, traders and the youth when he announced demonetization at midnight. Calling it a "Tughlaki farman", Mr Sinha said that PM Modi did not even think of the ordinary women in the country, who saved cash after household expenses, for rainy days.
In a rebuttal to BJP spokesperson Rajiv Pratap Rudy, who in a veiled attack said that "some people want to carry the stamp of BJP for the MP facilities", Mr Sinha said that he does not care about being thrown out of the party. "Even if I'm part of the BJP, I speak for the people and the country first. During Atal Behari Vajpayee's time, the focus was "lokshahi" or democracy but now in PM Modi's time it is "tanashahi" or dictatorship.
"Agar sach kehna baghawat hai toh samjho hum bhi baghi hain. Main sach ke saath, sidhanton se samjhouta nahi kar sakta (If truly there is rebellion, then we are the rebels. I am with truth and will not compromise on values), the rebel BJP leader said.
Targeting the Prime Minister on the Rafale deal, Mr Sinha said PM Modi needs to answer the nation about questions raised about it and until then he will be called "chowkidar chor hai."
Disclaimer: NDTV has been sued for 10,000 crores by Anil Ambani's Reliance Group for its coverage of the Rafale deal