Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday described Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh's speech on the occasion of India's 67th Independence Day as uninspiring, and charged the latter with taking a soft stand against Pakistan despite the recent cease-fire violations along the Line of Control (LoC).
Addressing people of the state on the occasion of India's 67th Independence Day, Modi pointed out the failures of the UPA Government, especially with regard to the Prime Minister's omission of making a strong statement against Pakistan during his Red Fort Independence Day address.
"Though Lal Qila is not the right platform to challenge Pakistan, and we should not waste our time on it, but the Lal Qila is certainly a stage to hand out encouragement to the Indian Army, which should have been done," Modi said.
"Looking at the morale and self- confidence of our army, the country hoped for the Prime Minister to speak on the issue today. Soldiers from our army died and to raise the morale of our forces, the Prime Minister should have addressed the issue," Modi added.
Additionally, Modi said the security of India is at risk as the number of international attacks on it is on the increase.
Questioning the government on recent territorial aggressions by China and Italy, Modi said: "While China is intruding into our territory today, when the rest of the world is developed and flourishing, we are just watching. The Italian military kills our fishermen, only then do we worry. Only after the Pakistan Army beheads our soldiers, only then do we worry. Only after the Pakistan Army ambushes our soldiers, only then do we worry. What is the point where we will not tolerate it? President, the concerns you are expressing, I express the same."
Lauding President Pranab Mukherjee's speech on the eve of Independence Day, Modi said the Prime Minister had failed to address the concerns raised by the President.
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"Yesterday, I heard the President speech and I could understand his pain. The President encapsulated and expressed, in every word, the hearts and minds of the country. I do not know if the country's Parliament will be able to give the President an answer. ...I agree with his concerns. ... Prime Minister, you are supposed to be the first to honour the concerns of the President; but that did not happen today," Modi said.
Describing the Prime Minister's address as a 'disappointment', Modi alleged that Dr. Singh's speech mimicked that of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru's on the country's first Independence Day, and questioned what the Congress had done if our problems still remain the same.
"The Prime Minister echoed the concerns that Pandit Nehru expressed at his first address. The question, then is, that what have you done in the last 60 years?" Modi said.
Modi also used his Independence Day address to touch upon the alleged Robert Vadra land scam in Haryana.
"Corruption is destroying the whole country, while the relatives of those in power at the Centre are being found to be neck-deep immersed in corruption. The game of corruption is being played and till the Supreme Court intervenes, it goes on. This is how the country is being run, at present. That is why, the President's address is a signal for all of us to worry. The worry and concern must start at the top," Modi said.
Reiterating his disappointment with the Prime Minister's address, Modi said Dr. Manmohan Singh wasn't inclusive in choosing the freedom fighters he referred to at the Red Fort.
"I was very disappointed, and not just me, the entire country is disappointed. The PM in his speech has unfortunately remembered only one family... would it not have been befitting to remember Sardar Patel or Lal Bahadur Shastri?" he said.
Modi commented on the Congress Party constantly attacking his governance, and confidently referred to his popularity across the country.
"Dear Prime Minister, your brigade is busy abusing Modi on their computers that they don't have time to sing the national anthem or national song. For this computer brigade, their world revolves around Modi," Modi said.
"I challenge the Prime Minister to an open debate on all key issues," Modi added.
Hopeful of his victory, he took on the PM and said, "The media says this is the PM's last Independence Day speech and he says 'We have a long distance to cover.
