Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the "most bitterly criticised" person post Independence, BJP chief Amit Shah said on Friday, adding that if criticism was targeted against the country, it cannot be called freedom of expression.
"Sab se jyada katu alochana agar kisi ek vyakti ki hui hai azadi ke baad, to wah hai Narendra Modiji ki. (After the Independence, if there is one person who has received the most bitter criticism, it is Narendra Modiji)," he said at the inauguration of 'India Idea Conclave 2016' in Goa.
“Criticism is welcome and it should be tolerated. But if someone goes beyond that and targets the country, it cannot be pardoned or termed as freedom of expression,” he said.
Shah said although dissent was part of the democracy, if it continued in an unwarranted way, there could be no development.
The BJP chief alleged that the country got good governance after 68 years of Independence, when the Modi-led government came to power.
Shah also added that the government has implemented reforms in every sector.
Referring to the row over the issue of triple talaq, Shah said, "When the Union government has taken a stand, there was no scope for confusion on the issue."
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