Unlike Rahul Gandhi, I've not learnt the art of living without working: Piyush Goyal hits back

Rahul Gandhi has accused Piyush Goyal of being involved in the Flashnet scam.

File photo (PTI)

New Delhi: Rahul Gandhi and Piyush Goyal were on Tuesday locked in a war of words, with the Congress president demanding the Union Minister's resignation over allegations of his involvement in a financial scam.

Hitting back at Rahul, Goyal tweeted, "Till 26th May 2014, before I became a minister, I was a professional Chartered Accountant and investment banker. Unlike you, Mr Rahul Gandhi, I have not learnt well the art of living without working. I am also a kaamdaar (worker) and not a naamdaar (dynast)."

Till 26th May 2014, before I became a Minister, I was a professional Chartered Accountant & investment banker. Unlike you, Mr @RahulGandhi, I have not learnt well the art of living without working. I am also a kaamdaar (worker) and not a naamdaar (dynast) — Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) May 1, 2018

The Congress president has accused the BJP leader of being involved in the Flashnet scam, which he said is about "deceit, conflict of interest and greed".

He has also alleged that Goyal sold his stock of Flashnet Info Solutions to Piramal group, which has interests in the power sector, at 1,000 times the face value. Rahul said that this happened when Goyal was the MoS, power.

Piyush Goyal’s, 48 CR. #FlashNet Scam is about deceit, conflict of interest and greed. The evidence is on the table. Yet, the media will not touch the story.

It is a tragedy for our country when journalists entrusted to stand for the truth, will not speak.#GoyalMustResign pic.twitter.com/WeUaSAT8wg — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) May 1, 2018

In an earlier tweeted, Rahul had said, "It’s no secret that CA Piyush Goyal, the BJP treasurer, has pried open the doors of every major corporate house for PM Modi. How then will the PM act against this minister, caught red-handed, misusing his power for 48 crore of personal gain?"

It’s no secret that CA Piyush Goyal, the BJP Treasurer, has pried open the doors of every major corporate house for PM Modi.

How then will the PM act against this Minister, caught red handed, misusing his power for 48 Cr. of personal gain?#GoyalMustResign — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) April 28, 2018

Reacting to the allegations, the BJP had in a statement had said earlier, "In the last month, the Congress party made Piyush Goyal a target by hurling malicious allegations against his bona fide business dealings to insinuate wrongdoings and irregularity. The modus operandi of the attack has been to gain cheap political mileage by indulging in a baseless campaign against him with no sound facts to back them but with the only intention of creating false controversies."

It had also pointed out that the facts exposed the Congress for blatant misrepresentations using falsehoods and malicious propaganda against the minister who was carrying out his professional work through his companies, which were also holding his investments, prior to his becoming minister in May 2014.

"He stopped all professional/business activities the day he became a minister, resigned from all directorships and started the process of selling all his investments," the saffron party had said.

It had added that Goyal was being targetted to divert attention from the series of scandals of its leaders for which they have no answers. "Congress has nothing to attack the Narendra Modi government and its leaders and is resorting to manufacturing controversies using malicious falsehoods which are completely baseless," BJP had said.