PM Modi should answer questions, not target Congress in Parliament: Rahul Gandhi

Speaking to reporters after Modi’s address, Gandhi said Modi's reply in the Lok Sabha to the motion of thanks on the president’s address was a “political speech.”

"We keep saying there is something wrong with the Rafale deal. Today Prime Minister Modi spoke for more than one hour but he didn't utter a word about the Rafale deal. He spoke about politics but never took up the farmers' issues or employment for youth," Gandhi told mediapersons.

Gandhi also slammed Modi for criticising the Congress in the Parliament and said he should answer questions rather than denouncing the oppositions always.

"I think Modi ji has forgotten that he is the PM now, he should answer questions and not always accuse the opposition,” the Congress president said.

“Questions are being asked by the country from the prime minister, but he is not answering… here (in Parliament)...You have to give answers and not ask questions to the country instead,” he said.

Gandhi also added that the PM can always target the Congress party at political rallies but inside the Parliament he should rather focus in answering questions raised by countrymen.

Modi on Wednesday targeted the Congress as he addressed the Parliament, accusing the Nehru-Gandhi family-led Congress of dividing India in 1947, and even claiming that the entire Kashmir would have remained with India if Sardar Ballabh Bhai Patel was the Prime Minister.

Modi addressed both the Houses of the Parliament on Wednesday.

Launching a blistering attack  during his reply to the motion of thanks on the President's address, Modi also sought to take away from the Congress its aura of the past  when he claimed that India did not get democracy due to Pandit Jawarharlal Nehru. 

"You (Congress) broke up India in 1947 and the nation is paying a price even today. Your divisive politics broke up Andhra Pradesh in 2014 and the fire is still raging today," he said launching a blistering attack soon after he began his address in the House.

Reacting to a series of attacks of the Opposition on his government and its policies, Modi said, "The country was partitioned, the seeds of poison was sown. You divided the country for electoral and petty gains...people are suffering even today."

If Sardar Vallabhai Patel was India's first PM, the whole of Jammu and Kashmir would have remained with the country : PM Modi

Ignoring a ruckus by Opposition members, who kept shouting "stop giving false promises", Modi  also lambasted the Congress for brainwashing people into thinking the Congress, and especially Jawaharlal Nehru, brought democracy to India.

"India did not get democracy due to Pandit Nehru, as Congress wants us to believe. Please look at our rich history. There are many examples of rich democratic traditions that date back centuries ago. Democracy is integral to this nation and is in our culture."

"How did the Congress act in Kerala, how did they treat the Akali Dal in Punjab, how did they behave in Tamil Nadu? Why did Congress dismiss so many state governments at their will? This is no commitment to democracy," Modi said.

He said for  decades, one party devoted all their energy to serving one family and the  interests of the nation were looked over .

"To this day, 125 crore Indians are paying the price for your sins, you divided India keeping elections in mind, you closed Parliament's doors without heeding peoples wishes, the seeds you sowed at that time, its ramifications are being felt to this day," the PM said.

Speaking on the achievements of incumbent government, PM Modi said: The NDA government has changed the work culture in the nation. Projects are not only being thought about but also being executed in a timely manner

"The NDA government is building more roads than the previous one. We have given a strong boost to the infrastructure sector across the nation. More villages are getting optical fibre network in the last three years than they got previously."

Employment is increasing but you have closed your eyes as you are busy singing your songs. Atal Bihari Vajpayee said, "Chhote mann se koi bada nahi hota aur toote mann se koi khada nahi hota" 

He also criticised the manner in which the previous Congress-led central government handled the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh. "When we speak of creating new states, we remember the manner in which Atal Bihari Vajpayee-ji created Uttarakhand, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh. He showed how farsighted decision-making is done," he said.

Modi said the  Congress "messed up" while dividing Andhra Pradesh,  adding, "They did it in a hurry, and without much thought or research."

Later, while addressing in the Rajya Sabha, Modi attacked the Congress over the issue of numerous scams that had erupted during the previous government.

Calling his government ' aim changers', Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said they have ushered in a paradigm shift in the 'working of the Government'.

"You call us name changers....we are aim changers - we work hard and have ushered in a paradigm shift in the working of the Government. Innovative projects are being thought about and completed in a time bound manner," Modi said addressing at the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday amid uproar.

Modi hit out at the Congress by naming several scams that had erupted during the tenure of the former government.

"We want Mahatma Gandhi's India. Even the Congress wants 'Gandhi's India.' - the India of the Emergency, Bofors, Chopper scams...Congress wants the India of the Tandoor Case. I also went to Davos, you also went to Davos. But the difference is- you went with a letter to save someone," Modi said attacking the party.

Speaking on Aadhaar, he said: "Congress keeps saying we brought Aadhaar. Let me remind them about a debate in the Rajya Sabha in 1998 and what LK Advani Ji said. It is in his speech that you will find the genesis of Aadhaar."

Modi said his government will aim at increasing the income of farmers.

He also asked the Parliament to have a discussion on holding simultaneous Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections in the various states.

"Let us have a constructive discussion on holding simultaneous Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections in the various states," Modi said.

Attacking the opposition over 'mocking' numerous events followed by NDA-led government like Yoga Day.

"Look at what all you mocked- Swachh Bharat, Make in India, surgical strikes, Yoga Day. You are free to mock as you please but why are you blocking the bill for OBC Commission? Why are you blocking Triple Talaq Bill. Are you not sensitive to the aspirations of OBC," Modi said.