'7 Years Ago He Would've Replied': Riteish Deshmukh Hits Back at Piyush Goyal for Attack on Father

New Delhi: Bollywood actor Riteish Deshmukh hit back at Union Minister Piyush Goyal, who said that his father, former Maharahashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, was only worried about getting his son a film during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack.

Senior Congress leader Vilasrao Deshmukh, who passed away in 2012, served as the CM when the 26/11 attack occurred. In a blistering attack on the Congress, Goyal on Monday alleged that “the chief minister at the time of attack” had brought a film producer outside Oberoi Hotel when there was carnage taking place inside. “He was only concerned about getting his son a role in a movie,” he said.

Without taking names, Riteish Deshmukh took to twitter on Monday and pointed out that it was wrong to accuse someone “who is not there to defend himself.” He wrote that while it is true that he visited the hotel, it was incorrect of Goyal to claim that he was there “"while the 'shooting and bombing' was happening".

"It is true that I had accompanied my father but untrue that he was trying to get me a role in a film," Riteish Deshmukh said, adding that his father never ever spoke to a director or a producer to cast him in a film. “I take pride in that,” he wrote.

Training guns at Goyal, Riteish Deshmukh added that it was a “bit late” to rake up the issue and that “7 yrs (sic) ago - He (Vilasrao Deshmukh) would have replied to you".

With its focus the on the issue of national security, the saffron party has launched a series of attacks on its principle opponent, the Congress, accusing it of making poor decisions on matters of protecting the country. Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently claimed Congress chief Rahul Gandhi's father former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was "Corrupt No. 1 (BrashtachariNo. 1)".