The media report, based on an RTI, said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) paid a total of Rs 1.4 crore to the IAF for 240 "non-official domestic trips" made by Modi since the start of his tenure as prime minister till January 2019

“Scared of your own sins haunting you, you are shamelessly pointing fingers on others!” Randeep Surjewala said.

A day after Narendra Modi accused the Gandhi family of using INS Viraat for holiday trip when Rajiv Gandhi was at the country’s helm, Congress on Thursday alleged that even the Prime Minister uses Indian Air Force jets as his “own taxi”.

“Distraction and fakery is your last resort. You have made Indian Air Force jets your own Taxi! You have paid as low as Rs 744 for using IAF jets for election trips!” Congress’ chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said citing a media report.

“Scared of your own sins haunting you, you are shamelessly pointing fingers on others!” he said, in an apparent reference to Modi’s allegation that the late Rajiv Gandhi used INS Viraat as a “personal taxi” on a family vacation.

The media report, based on an RTI, said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) paid a total of Rs 1.4 crore to the IAF for 240 “non-official domestic trips” made by Modi since the start of his tenure as prime minister till January 2019.

“In some cases, the amount paid seemed to be quite low. For example, the BJP paid Rs 744 for an ‘H/P Balangir-H/P Patharchera’ trip by Modi on January 15, 2019,” the report said.

On Wednesday, addressing an election rally at Ramlila Maidan, Modi said, “Friends, have you ever heard of anyone going on a holiday with his family on a warship? Don’t be surprised at this question. This has happened, in our country. The biggest Namdaar family of the Congress had used INS Viraat, the country’s pride, as its personal taxi.”

“INS Viraat was securing the maritime boundaries at the time. But it was sent to fetch the Gandhi family going on vacation… In the list of Holidayers were members of his Sasuraal. Was the country’s security jeopardised or not?” he said, as the crowd cheered.