Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday alleged that he had information about the “personal corruption” of Prime Minister Narendra Modi that he wanted to place in the Lok Sabha but was not being allowed to do so. The government, however, termed the allegations ‘baseless’.

“It is our political right (to speak in the House). We are elected. Why is the Prime Minister afraid? Why is he not coming to the House?” the Congress leader said at a hurriedly held press conference in Parliament House after the Speaker adjourned Lok Sabha for the day.

“The Prime Minister is personally terrified with the information that we have…,” said the Congress leader, adding that it was the “first time that the government and Treasury benches are stalling Parliament and are not ready for a discussion while the Opposition is.”

Accusing the Prime Minister of “running away” to pop concerts and public meetings, Gandhi said, “He should stop making excuses and all of us should be given time to speak. Let the country decide who is speaking the truth.” He was flanked by leaders from the Trinamool Congress, Nationalist Congress Party, CPI(M), and RSP, among others.

Other Opposition leaders also accused the Prime Minister of running away from debate in Parliament.

Hitting back at Rahul Gandhi’s allegations as “false and baseless”, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar said these were made out of “desperation and he (Gandhi) should apologise to the nation”. He said the government was ready for discussion but it was the Opposition which was stalling Parliament.

Striking a different note, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said if Rahul Gandhi actually had ‘proof’, he should expose the Prime Minister even outside Parliament.

“If Rahul Gandhi actually has papers on Modiji’s personal involvement in corruption, then why doesn’t he expose it outside Parl?” he tweeted.

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