'BJP creating issues out of a slip of tongue laughable'

Sharad Yadav

New Delhi: Loktantrik Janata Dal leader Sharad Yadav on Sunday said it is 'laughable' that the BJP is trying to create an issue out of his 'slip of tongue' remark at a rally in Kolkata, where he said that the country was looted via the Bofors deal, which was signed by the Congress government in 1986.

Speaking to ANI, Yadav said: 'It is laughable. I was actually quoting N Ram's (senior journalist) report in The Hindu. The story is about the Rafale deal. Now if they start making issues out of a slip of tongue, then imagine their helplessness.'

During the mega rally of opposition parties in Kolkata on Saturday, the former Member of Rajya Sabha attempted to attack the BJP on the controversial Rafale deal, but, instead said, 'Robbery was committed in the Bofors deal.'

In an interaction with BJP workers in Maharashtra and Goa, Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted the irony in the mention of the Bofors scandal from a platform where the 'Mahagathbandhan' leaders had gathered to talk about saving the country and democracy.

The BJP was also quick to take a potshot at Yadav for the faux pas. Taking to its official Twitter handle, the party posted a video of his blunder with the caption, 'Thank you Sharad ji for having the courage to speak about Bofors!'

In reply to Modi's 'excuses' comment on the four-member opposition committee on EVMs, Yadav said: 'The matter of EVM is controversial. There is now a misconception regarding EVMs among the people.'

'There are no EVMs anywhere else in the world. This is a serious issue. It is not right if they politicise the issue. The opposition parties have certain doubts regarding the EVMs. So the Election Commission should clear those doubts in a fair manner,' he said.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday said that a four-member committee had been formed to clarify the opposition parties' stand the on EVMs in view of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, SP president Akhilesh Yadav, BSP leader Satish Mishra, and Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi, are the members of this committee.

When asked about BJP MLA Sadhana Singh's comments about BSP supremo Mayawati, Yadav said: 'Whatever you want to say, it can be said by using a decent language. The people who use this kind of language, damage themselves more than others.'

BJP MLA from Uttar Pradesh's Mughalsarai constituency, Sadhana Singh on Saturday courted controversy by saying that she doesn't think BSP supremo Mayawati is either a woman or a man, adding that the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister sold her dignity in exchange for power.

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