Congress President Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and other senior leaders arrive at the AICC HQ for the Congress party steering committee meeting. (Express Photo by Tashi Tobgyal) Congress President Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and other senior leaders arrive at the AICC HQ for the Congress party steering committee meeting. (Express Photo by Tashi Tobgyal)

Targeting the BJP-ruled central government over the alleged PNB fraud case to the tune of over Rs 11,300 crore, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of “destroying the financial system” of the country.

“The Prime Minister through his actions has destroyed the financial system of this country. He has taken money from people’s pockets and put it into the banking sector. And now his friends and cronies are stealing it from the banking sector,” a visibly-agitated Gandhi said while addressing reporters after the Congress party’s steering committee meeting.

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The Congress chief also rejected the BJP charge that he had personal ties with Nirav Modi and had attended his promotional event, saying “they are trying to divert the issue”. Gandhi said it all started with the prime minister banning currency notes of Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 on November 8, 2016, “when he took out all public money and put it into the banking system”. He also alleged that businessman Nirav Modi has fled the country with Rs 20,000 crore of that public money.

“This Rs 22,000 Crore scam cannot have been done without a high-level protection. It must have been known by the people in government beforehand otherwise it is not possible. PM will have to come forward and answer questions,” said Gandhi. Gandhi said that the BJP is trying to divert the attention from the issue by pinning it on Congress and the UPA tenure.

READ | Retired PNB deputy manager, two others sent to police custody till March 3

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, A K Antony and other senior leaders were present at the Steering Committee meeting. The Congress has been attacking the Centre ever since the PNB fraud was detected. The party has accused the Modi government of helping businessmen fleeing the country after looting public money.

Earlier in the day, a war of words broke out between Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi and union minister Nirmala Sitharaman over the alleged PNB fraud case involving jeweller czar Nirav Modi. While Sitharaman accused Singhvi’s family members of holding share in Nirav’s company, the Congress leader rubbished the allegations and threatened legal action against the minister.

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