Riteish Deshmukh hits back at Piyush Goyal for his remarks against his father

New Delhi: Bollywood actor Riteish Deshmukh, the son of late Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, hit back at Union Minister Piyush Goyal for his remarks claiming that the former CM was only concerned about getting his son a role in a film during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack in 2008.

In a statement on Twitter, without naming Goyal, the 40-year-old actor said that his father "never spoke to a director or producer to cast me in a film." He also said that the minister had every right to "question a CM but it is wrong to accuse someone who is not here to defend himself."

He began his tweet by saying, "Honourable Minister, It is true that I had visited the Taj/Oberoi Hotel but untrue that I was there while the 'Shooting and Bombing' was happening as you claimed." He continued, "It is true that I had accompanied my father but untrue that he was trying to get me a role in a film. He never ever spoke to a director or a producer to cast me in film & I take pride in that."

"You have every right to question a CM but it is wrong to accuse someone who is not here to defend himself. A bit late, 7 yrs ago - He would have replied to you. My best wishes with your campaign Sir. Love and Regards, Riteish Vilasrao Deshmukh," he concluded his post.

Goyal on Sunday referring to 26/11 Mumbai attacks had said that the late Maharashtra CM was only concerned about getting his child a film role even as the city was under attacks. "I am from Mumbai. You might remember the 26/11 terror attack. The then Congress government was weak and could not do anything. The then Chief Minister (Vilasrao Deshmukh) had brought a film producer outside Oberoi Hotel while shooting and bombing was going on inside. CM was concerned about getting his child a film role," Goyal had said while addressing the business community on Sunday.

The minister also termed the erstwhile UPA government led by former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh as a "coward government" for failing to respond to 26/11 attacks that shook Mumbai in 2008. "Our Armed Forces were capable then too but the decision was to be taken by the leadership. The security forces kept hoping that they would be allowed to give a befitting reply but they were not allowed to take action. That was a coward government," the Union Minister added.

BJP has made national security a poll plank in the ongoing Lok Sabha polls with its leaders referring to surgical strikes post-Uri and air-strike in Pakistan's Balakot as an example of the party's "zero-tolerance" policy on terrorism.