Hawabaaz, hawalabaaz, dagabaaz; BJP-Congress name-calling to target each other

New Delhi: From "hawabaaz" to "hawalabaaz" to "dagabaaz", in the continuing slugfest between BJP and Congress, the archrivals are spewing new sobriquets every day to target each other.

After Sonia Gandhi's Tuesday's remark that the Prime Minister has been "reduced to unedifying flip flops" and that his poll promises were nothing more than "hawabaazi" (empty talk), it was Modi's turn today to hit back as he coined the term "hawalabaaz" (scamsters) to get even.

In Bhopal, Modi told BJP workers that "scamsters are unnerved" due to his government's tough stance on black money and are putting "roadblocks" in its pursuit of the reform agenda.

He said the "hawalabaaz" (scamsters) are seeking answers from him despite his government having plugged leakages in schemes and enriching the nation's coffers.

Modi said Congress was taking to "disruptive tactics" as it has not been able to come to terms with its defeat in 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

Congress, which has repeatedly shown its aggressive side after party vice president Rahul Gandhi's return from a sabbatical of nearly two months in April, reacted with alacrity, calling Modi "asli dagabaaz" (the real betrayer), adding yet another term to the burgeoning political lexicon.

"The country will judge who is "hawabaaz" (one who does empty talk) and "dagabaaz" (a betrayer)," Congress chief spokesman Randeep Surjewala told reporters in New Delhi.

Surjewala said Modi had promised before the Lok Sabha polls that the government will deposit Rs 15 lakh in every citizen's bank account from the black money brought back from foreign tax havens, an assertion that was later termed as mere "jumla" (platitude) by his party president.

Besides, Modi had assured farmers they would get 50 per cent profit over the cost of their produce, but their plight only worsened and some of them were even forced to commit suicide, he said.

"So it is for the people to judge who is 'asli dagabaaz' (real betrayer)," he said.

Surjewala said people had also understood by now that the slogans of "good governance" and "ease of doing business" were "hawabaazi" as the state of the economy was deteriorating with each passing day.