'Manipur burning and...': Robert Vadra slams Smriti Irani over Adani jab

Businessman Robert Vadra on Saturday slammed Union Minister Smriti Irani over her veiled reference to him in Parliament recently, and said she "brings up negative things" about him.

Talking to PTI, Vadra, the son-in-law of former Congress president Sonia Gandhi, said, "Manipur has been burning and this minister [Smriti Irani] has to bring up some kind of negative thing about me, who is not even in Parliament."

His statement came after Irani, in the Lok Sabha, had shown a photo of Vadra with industrialist Gautam Adani.

Earlier in February this year too, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) released photos of Aadani with Robert Vadra, after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had launched a scathing attack on the Centre in Lok Sabha over the Adani issue.

Rahul Gandhi had claimed that the Union government had "bent rules to benefit Adani."

Vadra also spoke about the Opposition alliance 'I.N.D.I.A' and said the coalition would give a strong fight to the NDA.

"Congress has joined the Opposition alliance 'I.N.D.I.A' and we will give them (NDA) a good fight in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections," Robert Vadra said.

Speaking about his wife and Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi, Robert Vadra said, "I feel she (Priyanka Gandhi) should be in Parliament. She has all the qualifications and would do a great job. I hope that the Congress party accepts and plans better for her."

STOP BEING OBSESSED WITH ME: VADRA TELLS IRANI

On Friday too, Robert Vadra, in a Facebook post, slammed Irani, saying she needs to stop being obsessed with him and misusing his name in Parliament.

He also challenged the union minister to give proof of her allegations against him.

"Smriti Irani ji, stop being obsessed with me and misusing my name, in Parliament. I challenge you to give proof or stop being fake, as you areâ€æ," Vadra wrote on Facebook.

He also attached several news reports along with his post to target the union minister.

"Your incapabilities can't be hidden by pointing fingers at me, remember when you do, the rest of your fingers are pointing at you, with many more controversies linked to you and your family," he further wrote.

"India wants to know about your restaurants in Goa and in third party names in different parts of the country? Your degrees or educational qualifications and the underlying controversy with it. First you clarify that and then point finger at others."

"Awaiting to see if you will answer on Goa and beyond, clearly if you actually qualified, which I doubt. No disclosure or reply means you are hiding true facts and are not qualified. Shame on you," Robert Vadra wrote.