"Given that it was the first address of the new Prime Minister one would have expected certain vision to be articulated by him on the trajectory of the next five years. But it is unfortunate that PM got bogged down in pedestrian issues without being able to rise to the occasion," party spokesperson and former Union Minister Manish Tewari said.
Tewari also charged that it seemed to be more an election speech than an address to the nation.
All in all it seemed to be more an election speech than an address to the nation" Tewari added.
Party general secretary Shakeel Ahmed said Modi's maiden Independence Day address was a "zero effect" speech.
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In an apparent reference to recent incidents in some parts of the country, the Prime Minister said communalism and casteism are an obstacle in the country's progress.
"On ground level his party is instigating all riots and conflicts. The Prime Minister himself climbed the ladder through communal conflicts," Ahmed charged.
Regarding the Prime Minister's sanitation pitch and emphasis on toilet construction, Ahmed said, "Vidya Balan is already promoting sanitation ten times a day on TV channels and it is the part of the propaganda drive of the Ministry of Sanitation set up by the UPA."