Shivraj Mocks Rahul Over BJP’s ‘Expiry Date’ Remark

New Delhi: The BJP on Monday hit back at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his “expiry date” and “nipat lenge” remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, with Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan mocking the Leader of the Opposition as a “product” that had failed repeated attempts at political relaunch.

Taking a swipe at Gandhi, Chouhan said a “product which failed the quality check every single time in its 99 launch attempts is now talking about the BJP's expiry date.”

“I find it laughable. Someone who has failed 99 times during the quality checks of his own launch is now predicting an expiry date for the BJP,” Chouhan told a news agency in Bhopal.

Describing the BJP as a movement dedicated to national reconstruction and the welfare of the poor, women, youth and farmers, he said the party had withstood repeated political challenges.

“Many have come and gone while harbouring such thoughts. They even imposed an Emergency. They turned the entire country into a prison. But in the end, the people consistently defeated them in elections. The BJP will continue to grow and serve the nation,” he said.

Addressing Congress workers at an event in Goa on Sunday, Gandhi had said, “You think about Goa. In Delhi, in a short while we will deal (nipat lenge) with Narendra Modi and Amit Shah. You don't need to worry about that. The work is underway; their expiry date is approaching.”

The BJP also targeted Gandhi over reports of a foreign vacation, saying he was “back to doing what he does best, taking a break and enjoying a holiday”.

Uttar Pradesh deputy chief minister Brajesh Pathak accused the Congress and other Opposition parties of making “baseless statements” against Modi and the BJP.

He further alleged that the Opposition had joined hands with foreign forces to make “repeated, unsuccessful attempts to undermine and destabilise the country's democratic system from behind the scenes.”