'Speaking of Achhe Din with intention to loot again': Govt slams Rahul

Vijayawada: Information and Broadcasting Minister M Venkaiah Naidu on Thursday indirectly hit out at Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi saying some people were speaking of "Achhe Din" only with an intention to "loot again".

"Some people have become like fish out of water as Prime Minister Narendra Modi is not letting them eat (indulge in corruption). So they started crying that Achhe Din will happen only with them. They are talking of Achhe Din only to loot again," Venkaiah remarked, addressing the India Aviation Summit in Vijayawada on Thursday.

"Earlier, these people used to swim in water and eat everything. They grew large but now that they don't have the opportunity to eat, they are struggling like fish out of water," the Union Minister said, referring to corruption.

Taking a dig at Modi's 2014 Lok Sabha election campaign line that "Achhe Din" will come when BJP comes to power, Rahul on Wednesday said that only Congress' return to power in 2019 will ring in good days.

Naidu also took an indirect dig at liquor baron Vijay Mallya. "Only 300 companies got 45 per cent of bank loans in the country previously. Some 'Yellaiah, Pullaiah, Mallaiah pocketed the loans. Now that Mallaiah took the money and vanished," Venkaiah said, in an oblique reference to Mallya.

Later, in a brief chat with reporters, the Union Minister took strong exception to Congress and Trinamool Congress' outbursts against the Prime Minister.

"Earlier, Opposition parties used only to criticise but now the Congress is foul mouthing the Prime Minister and comparing him with Hitler and Mussolini.

The Trinamool has deteriorated further and calling even the Prime Minister's parents' names," he said.

All this has only exposed the frustration of the Opposition parties, he said.

He asked the Opposition to listen to the 'high praise' that CEOs of foreign companies have 'lavished' on Narendra Modi.