New Delhi, Nov 8 (IANS): Hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the Congress boycotted a meeting on the appointment of the Chief Information Commissioner because they "hate Dalits", party leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury hit back at Modi, saying he is resorting to "unmitigated falsehood and outrageous lie".
In a series of posts on X, Chowdhury said, "I am shocked to note that our Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji has been alleging myself as "Anti-Dalit" by resorting to unmitigated falsehood and outrageous lie."
He added that the meeting of selection committee on CIC/IC was delayed because both Prime Minister Modi and Union Home Minister (Amit Shah) remained busy in electioneering as stated by Union Minister of State Jitendra Singh to him.
"After waiting till 12 p.m. on November 3, I took a flight to Kolkata by suggesting DOPT to convene the meeting at the earliest. Without taking myself into confidence and leaving me in the dark, the selection committee took arbitrary decision on their own," Chowdhury said.
"Prime Minister may please ask thyself what is the truth? Can you say by swearing Lord Rama that -- what I am telling you is wrong? Narendra Modi Ji, neither I nor my party is "Anti-Dalit" rather you are simply Dalit exploiter sans being respectful to them. When the election comes Narendra Modi Ji starts remembering and cajoling Dalits only, to hoodwink them for the sake of votes," the Congress leader added.
He also shared the copy of his letter to Jitendra Singh and his letter to President Droupadi Murmu over the appointment of Heeralal Samariya, who became India's first Dalit CIC.
He was administered the oath of office by President Murmu.
Speaking at a public meeting in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday, Modi said that when the BJP decided that a tribal daughter should become the country's President, the Congress had opposed it.
"It is the BJP which respects the aspirations of the SC, ST and OBC. Today, you must have read in your newspaper that for the first time in the country… I cancelled my election programme and attended a meeting in Delhi -- we decided to appoint a Dalit as the Chief Information Commissioner," he added.
Targeting Chowdhury, Modi said, "Look at the Congressmen, they had to come to the meeting, they were invited much before time, we had spoken to them over the phone."
"But as soon as they came to know that a Dalit is going to become the CIC, they boycotted the meeting. They hate Dalits so much. When the President is tribal, they oppose that. CIC is Dalit, they oppose that also, and then spread lies and do drama for sympathy," the Prime Minister added.