CWC discusses 2G case verdict, Rahul says BJP 'based on lies'

New Delhi: Congress President Rahul Gandhi, who chaired his first CWC meeting on Friday, made a scathing attack on the BJP terming it a party whose "foundation was based on lies" and sought an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his party maligning Congress for years on "false allegations" in the 2G spectrum case.

At the meeting of Congress Working Committee (CWC), he also announced that there will be a meeting of the party's highest decision-making body every two months as part of efforts to galvanise the party for the forthcoming electoral battles next year and the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

With the Congress' spirits greatly buoyed by the party's good showing in the Gujarat polls and 2G case verdict on Thursday, an aggressive Gandhi said the people had begun to question Modi on economy and over his remarks against former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Claiming there was a "positive sentiment" towards the Congress, he said: "I think there is a lot of opportunity for us that we need to step into and take advantage of."

Gandhi repeatedly attacked Modi in his remarks to the media after the CWC meeting and in his speech, saying the Prime Minister had been "silent" on the sudden spurt in the turnover of the company of BJP President Amit Shah's son Jay Shah, and mocking the "Modi model" in Gujarat.

"The entire foundation of the BJP is based on lies. The whole architecture of the BJP is about lies," he said, and targeted it over various issues, including the "change" in Rafale deal, GST and demonetisation.

"It is stealing of resources of people of Gujarat. Whether it is depositing Rs 15 lakh in each bank account, whether it is 2G, whether it is giving farmers proper remuneration, whether it is Gujarat model... one by one the lies are coming out," he said.

"There are two other lies, very big ones," he said, referring to the huge turnover of Jay Shah's company and the 2G spectrum case.

"Everyone knows about 2G, the truth has come out in front of you."

Earlier, in his opening remarks in the meeting, Gandhi said the 2G case was "possibly the biggest instrument used against our government" which ultimately turned out to be "fake".

"So the idea, their model, is to come up with a lie, spread that lie, and just keep repeating that lie until people believe the lie. And the good news that I can see is that people are now beginning to question it. Across the country, they are questioning Modi on the economy, they're questioning Modi when he insults our ex-Prime Minister."

He said the Congress had successfully dismantled the "Modi model of development" in Gujarat where campaigning for elections "was a real eye-opener" for him.

"I got to see first-hand the way the BJP designs campaigns and how they use hatred and untruth to fight elections. I don't call it the 'Gujarat model' because it is not the 'Gujarat model', it is actually the 'Modi model'. I was surprised to see that it is universally understood by the people of Gujarat that this is a flawed, fake model."

He said he found that Modi has handed over Gujarat to a "few vested interests and he has taken tremendous benefits from Gujarat but Gujarat hasn't received anything in return".

Gandhi also spoke of party's campaign in Gujarat where it got highest seats in 27 years and lauded the spirit with which the party fought the elections. He also sent good wishes to people of Himachal Pradesh, where the party was unseated earlier this week.

CWC members urged Gandhi to work out a comprehensive strategy to energise the party. They also discussed the verdict in 2G spectrum case in detail and hit out at Modi, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and former Comptroller and Auditor General Vinod Rai, whom the Congress termed a BJP "stooge".

"Should they (Modi, Jaitley and BJP leadership) not tender an unconditional apology for using falsehood of a self-manufactured scam as pedestal for gaining power and misleading the entire country," it said.

The CWC also adopted a resolution expressing its deep gratitude to former President Sonia Gandhi for her "guidance and leadership."