PM Modi Attacks Cong, Blames Nehru for Losing a Part of Kashmir

“Had Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel been the first Prime Minister, entire Kashmir would have been ours,” PM Modi said.

PM Modi delivering address i Lok Sabha

(Photo: PTI)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, 7 February, attacked the Congress in Lok Sabha saying the country has been suffering due to the "wrong" policies it had pursued since Independence, and that the party had spent time singing paeans to one family instead of focusing on people's welfare.

Throughout Modi’s speech, Congress members were in the well demanding that promises made to Andhra Pradesh following its division be fulfilled, as well as questioning the Rafale deal.

Modi said Partition was a result of wrong policies of the Congress.

Not a single day has passed when the country has not suffered due to the poison sowed by you. Had Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel been the first Prime Minister, a part of Kashmir would not have been under control of Pakistan.

Narendra Modi, Prime Minister

The Prime Minister also hit out at the Congress president who was in the House, for presenting the government "in a wrong light" on his overseas trips. "Don't you feel ashamed," he asked.

When the Indian Army was involved in a stand-off with the Chinese Army in Dokalam, the Congress leader was speaking to Chinese officials, he said.

Amid the din, an unfazed Modi said Andhra Pradesh was suffering due to the "hasty decision" of the erstwhile UPA government to bifurcate the state in 2014 for "political benefits.”

The Congress had similarly divided the country at the time of Independence for its selfish interests, he added.

This is the same party that divided India. For decades, one party devoted all their energies in singing paeans to one family. The interests of the nation were overlooked just for the interests of one family.

Narendra Modi, Prime Minister

Modi said whenever his government was criticised by select Opposition parties, substance was lacking in their arguments as they would go back to saying "when we were in power..."

“The Opposition has been attacking me as its leaders are losing their sleep due to my fight against corruption and black money.”

Many of them are out on bail in corruption cases, he added, noting that four former chief ministers from the Congress party are behind bars.

Modi termed the non-performing assets (NPA) a "sin" of the UPA government, adding that he was giving details of the same for the first time as it would have seriously harmed the economy had he done so earlier.

The Prime Minister said his government has a vision for the country's development while the Congress worked with a "petty mind,”

The “biggest tunnel on land, the biggest tunnel under sea, the fastest train and the biggest gas pipe line" were being built by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The Prime Minister’s address came a day after Congress leader Mallikarjun Khagre attacked the Centre during his speech in the Lok Sabha.

(With inputs from PTI)

Video Editor: Ashutosh Bhardwaj