Moments after Prime Minister Narendra Modi responded to questions on corruption in Rafale jet deal, mob lynching, demonetisation, surgical strikes, grand alliance, among several other issues, the Indian National Congress slammed the interview and dubbed it as parody.
Describing PM Modi's interview as bereft of reality and full of rhetoric, the Congress alleged that he was "peddling in lies" and asserted that the countdown for his exit has begun.
“Summary of Modiji’s ‘Monologue’ Interview:- ‘I’, ‘Me’, ‘Mine’, ‘Myself’ Country is suffering your ‘I’s & ‘Lies’!” tweeted Congress’ spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala.
Surjewala also accused the prime minister of peddling lies and said, "We expected that in 2019, you will at least express regret for the blunders of policy that you have committed. But you have only peddled lies.”
People Expect Modi Govt to Build Ram Temple Within Its Tenure: RSS
The RSS on Tuesday, 1 January, said people expect the Modi government to fulfill its promise of building the Ram temple within its tenure as the BJP was elected to power in 2014 for committing to all possible efforts to do so.
The reaction from the Hindutva organisation's joint general secretary Dattatreya Hosabole came after PM Modi said any government action on the temple construction can happen only after judicial process is over.
The RSS also described Modi's comments as a "positive step" towards the temple construction.
Meanwhile, in a dig, Shiv Sena's spokesperson Sanjay Raut wondered if law is bigger than Lord Ram for Modi.
Instead of Wasting Time Talking About PM Modi, People's Issues Need to Discussed: AAP
In its reaction to PM Modi’s interview, the AAP on Tuesday, 1 January, said that instead of "wasting" time talking about him and Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, issues concerning the people need to be discussed, reported PTI.
Senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh said the NDA government at the Centre is in its last days and the words of an "outgoing" prime minister will have no effect.
“It is need of the hour today to discuss issues that concern people of the country rather than wasting time on Narendra Modi and Sonia Gandhi.”AAP leader Sanjay Singh, as quoted by PTI
Farmers are forced to throw vegetables and milk on the road, women feel insecure, the youth are disenchanted and still, Modi is avoiding his promises to all of them, he said.
"Modi will have to explain what happened to his promises to the people. Not even a single penny of black money came back after demonetisation although over 100 people died due to it," he said.
Singh said that if the prime minister felt that the people should wait for the court's judgment on the Ram temple issue then why was his party creating "animosity" in the country in its name.
National Conference President and former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Omar Abdullah also slammed PM Modi’s response regarding Triple Talaq and Sabarimala.
CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury said that the prime minister’s interview had very “little credibility”.
He also alleged that sharpening communal polarisation was the ruling BJP’s only plan.
“We heard the BJP CM in 1992 give false assurances on protecting the Babri Masjid. After the demolition, it was claimed as a success by them. These assurances by the BJP have very little credibility.”Sitaram Yechury, CPI(M) General Secretary
“After having destroyed the economy and ruined people’s livelihoods, sharpening communal polarisation is the BJP’s only plan. This will not be allowed to succeed,” he added.
Yechury also slammed the prime minister over demonetisation, saying Modi's claim that the move had eliminated black money was "preposterous".
Congress leader Shashi Tharoor also questioned the interview and said that it was an exercise in “media management”.
(With inputs from PTI)
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