Rahul attacks PM on black money scheme and JNU row

In acerbic remarks on Modi's style of functioning, the Congress Vice President accused him of not listening to anyone's opinion including that of his ministers and MPs.

"You have been taught by your teachers in the RSS that there is one truth in the universe--your own and nobody else's opinion matters," he told the treasury benches while speaking on the motion of thanks to the President's address in the Lok Sabha.

"The Prime Minister cannot run the country with his opinion alone. The country is not PM and PM is not the country," he said in a 40-minute speech during which Modi was absent.

Attacking the scheme on black money announced in the budget on Monday, Rahul Gandhi said, "Nobody who has black money will be jailed under Modi's 'Fair and Lovely' scheme. All those who have black money can make it white under this scheme."

Recalling Modi's promise of putting people with black money behind bars, the Congress leader said the government had instead come up with a way to help such people.

He was referring to the one-time four-month compliance window announced by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley under which people with domestic black money can come clean by paying 45 per cent tax and penalty and get immunity from prosecution.

Rahul Gandhi was sharply critical of the government over the turmoil in Delhi's JNU and maintained that student leader Kanhaiya Kumar, who has been charged with sedition, had not uttered a single word against the law but was behind bars while the "real culprits" were roaming free.

Questioning Modi's silence over the JNU episode, Rahul Gandhi said that he had not uttered a single word when teachers and the media were attacked in the Patiala House court complex in the capital when Kumar was brought there for a hearing.

"Which religion teaches to assault teachers," he asked.