As the Congress and AAP on Tuesday flayed BJP president Amit Shah for his reported remark that it would take 25 years to bring 'achhe din' (good days) in the country, his party vehemently denied he ever said so.
The Bharatiya Janata Party even released a video clipping of Shah's speech and uploaded it on the party website, criticising a section of the media over the issue.
Addressing party cadres in Bhopal on Monday, Shah reportedly said it would take 25 years to deliver 'achhe din' in the country.
"We saw a twisted statement attributed to our president in a section of the media. Some newspapers think they can write anything...they can make any headline...this is not fair," union Minister Piyush Goyal said at a press conference here.
"It was a closed-door meeting, but since he (Shah) has been misquoted, therefore we are playing the recording," Goyal added.
After the recording was played, Goyal said it was clear that Shah never said what was reported by a section of the media.
The Congress and Aam Aadmi Party earlier took the BJP to task on Amit Shah's alleged statement.
"Would people have voted for BJP had it told them that it will take 25 years for good days to arrive?" Aam Aadmi Party leader and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said in a tweet.
"It will take 25 years to bring good days, Amitji, your good days have come. Enjoy and do finish all the cases against you. Let the people go to hell," Congress leader Digvijay Singh tweeted.
Ealier in the day, the BJP dubbed it a "part of larger conspiracy to defame the party".
"Amit Shah never said that it will take 25 years to deliver 'achhe din'. In fact, he said it will take 25 years to restore India's ancient glory and world number one status," BJP's national secretary and media convenor Srikant Sharma told media here.
"It is a baseless report and part of larger conspiracy to defame BJP," Sharma said.
