By Navneet Mishra

New Delhi, May 27 (IANS): Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Wednesday slammed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi "always plays on the front foot in the interest of the country".

Prasad was reacting to Rahul Gandhi's Tuesday statement wherein the latter accused Modi of playing on the back foot amid the ongoing war against coronavirus in the country.

In response to IANS question during an online press conference on Wednesday, Prasad called Rahul an "irresponsible person" and said that the Prime Minister "always plays on the front foot... and will continue to do so".

Prasad said: "The whole world has seen the courageous decisions taken by the Prime Minister of India. When Covid-19 ends, we should then analyse how the country with so much diversity accepted Modi's request (for the lockdown). Rahul Gandhi is engaged in undermining the nation's resolve."

The Minister also reeled out statistics to show what he dubbed the success in the ongoing war against coronavirus in the country. "India has a population of 137 crore, and 4,345 deaths and over 64,000 recoveries, whereas the top 15 countries in the world have a total population of 142 crore and have seen more than three lakh corona deaths. Through the lockdown, our Prime Minister has united the country."

Prasad pointed out that the Congress leader had accused the Indian Council of Medical Research of irregularities in purchases. "For the first time, the ICMR had to explain that they did not make any such purchases, and those made by them were at the lowest prices. Rahul Gandhi has begun to level false allegations against such organisations just for the sake of politics."

The Law Minister accused Rahul Gandhi of "trying to undermine India's resolve". "He is spreading negativity. Working against the country in times of crisis, and trying to take credit falsely, say something and do something else, and spreading false news also," said Prasad.

Prasad said that Chief Ministers of Congress-ruled states did not listen to Rahul Gandhi. "He raises questions on the lockdown, but the Punjab and Maharashtra governments had proposed to extend the lockdown till May 31. After all, why can he not explain this thing to his chief ministers?" asked the Union Minister.

"Rahul Gandhi raises questions on the Aarogya Setu app, but Maharashtra and Punjab have insisted on using this like a super shield. Is this app doing surveillance? Rahul Gandhi questions labour laws, but preparations are going on to have 12-hour shift for workers in Rajasthan. Why are his chief ministers not agreeing with Rahul Gandhi?"

Prasad said that Aarogya Setu had been downloaded by over 11 crore Indians. "We have made the app source public. If you come in contact with an infected person, it warns you. It totally secures your privacy."