'PM Modi is a deshdrohi': Rahul Gandhi repeats his 'sold India in US trade deal' claim

NEW DELHI: Sharpening his anti-government tirade over the India-US trade deal, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday called Prime Minister Narendra Modi a "deshdrohi" (traitor), doubling down on his claim that "PM Modi sold off India".Addressing a poll rally in Bengal, the Lok Sabha leader of opposition accused the Modi government of "handing over India's energy security to the US by succumbing to Washington's pressure". "India's agricultural sector will be devastated. Modi sold off India in the trade deal with the US. He is not 'desh bhakt' (patriot), he is 'deshdrohi' (traitor)," Gandhi alleged as per news agency PTI while addressing the rally in Malda, where the Congress traditionally has had a strong presence.Stating that data security is of paramount importance as a country's strength is built on it, Gandhi accused the Modi government of giving up India's data to the USA. "National security has been badly harmed by this," he said.Alleging that the Modi government has given a commitment to the US that it would buy goods from it worth Rs 9.5 lakh crore, Gandhi said, "If American goods enter India like a tsunami, then our country's small and medium scale factories will close down.""This will cause double loss for Bengal since Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has already closed down industries in the state," he said. US trade deal will lead to closure of small, mid-size industries, cause job loss in India: Rahul Gandhi in Bengal. PM not 'desh bhakt' (patriot), he is 'deshdrohi' (traitor): Rahul Gandhi at poll rally in Bengal.In a two-pronged attack , Rahul Gandhi accused the BJP and the RSS of destroying the Constitution with their "hate-filled thinking", while claiming the ruling TMC has failed in fulfilling its promise of providing jobs to the state's youth.Addressing poll rallies in Raiganj and Malda, Gandhi claimed that 84 lakh youths in Bengal have applied for the unemployment allowance promised by the Mamata Banerjee government."Chief minister Mamata Banerjee promised jobs to five lakh people. But 84 lakh youths have applied for unemployment allowance," he said.Targeting the BJP and RSS, the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha accused the two outfits of destroying the Constitution by their "hate-filled thinking" and being "involved in vote theft".Gandhi termed the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls "unconstitutional" and alleged that wherever the BJP and RSS get a chance, they make insinuations against the Constitution.