Stop giving dialogues, introspect your policies: Congress tells PM

The Congress Party on Thursday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is an expert in giving false statements, should introspect rather than come up with baseless assertions quoting dialogues of Hindi films.

Congress leader B.K. Hariprasad told ANI that Prime Minister Modi should talk about the government's policies instead of criticising his predecessor Dr Manmohan Singh.

"He has only been given speeches in the last two and a half years and not given any report card," he said.

Hariprasad also criticised the Prime Minister over his assertion that those opposing the demonetisation drive "are like Pakistan", saying the latter is coming up with baseless rhetorics in the wake of the upcoming assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh.

"He is saying we are following Pakistan's strategy...after coming back from Pakistan, he himself was following their strategy. He is talking about corruption and black money...till now only Rs. 3,000 crore black money has been seized...what about the rest? He is an expert in giving false statements," said Hariprasad.

"The elections in Uttar Pradesh is approaching and that is why he is quoting dialogues of Hindi films," he added.

Another Congress leader PL Punia took on the Prime Minister for his jibe directed at party vice-president Rahul Gandhi, saying the ruling party is extremely worried with the manner in which the latter has been raising his voice for national cause.

"The sweetest voice after 2009 is of Rahul Gandhi and the youth, labourers and farmers are liking it. Only the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are disliking it. The BJP and the Prime Minister are worried with the way Rahul Gandhi is raising his voice for the nation," he told ANI in Bahraich.

Punia further said the Prime Minister, who sits on a respectable position, must not drag the army in politics.

"If he politicises the relation with Pakistan then it is very much unfortunate for the nation. I would advise the Prime Minister not to drag the army jawans in politics," he said.

A day after the Congress vice-president accused him of receiving crores in kickbacks as the Gujarat Chief Minister, Prime Minister Modi today taunted the former and said that he is "learning how to speak".

"They have a youth leader; he is learning how to give speeches. Since the time he has learnt to speak, my happiness has no limits," he jocularly said at an event in his parliamentary constituency Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh.

"There would have been an earthquake had he not spoken... good that he has started speaking, we now know that there's no chance of an earthquake," he added.

Silencing his critics, the Prime Minister in an apparent reference to those questioning his government's demonetisation drive said that he never imagined politicians would "stand with the corrupt".

"The commotion created in Parliament is like the 'cover fire' that Pakistan uses to ensure terrorists infiltrate into India. Similarly, the ruckus in Parliament lets cheats get away," he said while referring to Parliament's just-concluded Winter Session.

Prime Minister Modi also criticized the opposition for "protesting everything."

"Our army makes us proud but some people have questions even on their bravery. Is it good to view institutions like this?" he said.

The Prime Minister also cornered his predecessor for his disagreement over demonetisation, saying the latter by doing so is exposing his own misdeeds.

"(Congress) PM Manmohan Singh said that 'in a country where 50 percent of people are poor what can things like technology do?' Now tell me, was he giving his own report card or mine? Whose legacy is this 50 percent poverty?" he asked.