New Delhi, November 12: The Congress Monday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of speaking "untruth" by linking demonetisation with "vindictive action" in the National Herald issue, adding he should not fool public through his 'jumlas' anymore. Congress chief Rahul Gandhi also hit out at Modi saying "it takes a thief to know a thief" and alleged that the only shell firms identified after demonetisation were that of BJP chief Amit Shah's son Jay Shah, Piyush Goyal and Anil Ambani.

There was no immediate reaction available from the Prime Minister's Office on the charges. "The PM's latest Demonetisation barf is, “Shell Firms”. Ironically, the only “Shell” firms identified after the great Demonetisation tragedy are: JAY SHAH'S, Temple Enterprises; PIYUSH GOYAL's Flashnet; ANIL AMBANI'S, Reliance Airports. It takes a thief to know a thief," Gandhi said on Twitter.

Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said the remarks made by the prime minister needed to be ignored with the contempt they deserved. "It is well established that lies and fabrications and fraud have no legs to stand on and truth always is fearless and emerges victorious. "Today you have heard the greatest of untruth from the greatest orator of untruth. The Prime Minister is connecting 'demonetisation' with petty vindictive, vendetta based cases filed against Congress Party," he said. Rahul Gandhi Mocks PM Narendra Modi For His 'Gas From Gutter' Theory.

Singhvi compared Modi's rule with that of the British, saying the Congress party would not cow down to any kind of vendetta politics as launched by the British in pre-Independence days. "We had the same vindictive revengeful cases foisted upon us to cower us down by the British, merely because you are the incarnation of the British as far as vendetta policies are concerned, so not think we are going to be cowed down - not then not now.

"So please do not fool the public yet again after having fooled them so many times through 'jumlas' (gimmicks) and 'demonetisation'," he told reporters.

Congress treasurer and senior leader Ahmed Patel earlier accused the BJP-led central government of embarking on a "witch-hunt" and claimed that it was putting pressure on the machinery to revoke the lease of the Herald House at any cost, but its design would be defeated.

He said National Herald, Qaumi Awaz and Navjivan -- all the newspapers run by the National Herald newspapers from the Herald House had the spine to speak the truth, which made those in power uneasy. "The BJP Government has embarked on a witch hunt and is pressurising the machinery to revoke lease of Herald House at any cost. National Herald, Qaumi Awaz and the Navjivan have the spine to speak the truth which makes those in power uneasy.

"The Government's design will be defeated," he said on Twitter. Hitting out at Rahul and Sonia Gandhi for questioning him on demonetisation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Monday said he did not need a "certificate of honesty" from the "mother-son duo" who are out on bail. Singling out the Gandhis for "seeking account of demonetisation", Modi asked "whether the mother-son duo who are out on bail for financial irregularities would give him certificate of honesty". "They want an account of demonetisation. It was due to the demonetisation that fake companies were identified. And because of that you had to seek bail. Why do you forget that it was due to the note ban that you had to seek bail," he said without naming the Gandhis. Modi announced the ban on high-value currency notes on November 8, 2016.