The Congress today launched a scathing attack on the Modi government over its performance, claiming there was a big gap between the prime minister's "rhetoric" on development and the reality on ground.
Party spokesperson Manish Tewari alleged that the government has proven to be an "utter failure" when benchmarked on five standards of social cohesion, political stability, internal security, economic development and international relations.
The opposition party also lashed out at the ruling BJP alleging that it predicated on polarising and dividing society for electoral gains.
The Congress' tirade came as Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his address to the extended national executive of the BJP, accused the opposition of using power as a means of enjoyment when in government.
"Eventually the performance of this government can be summed up in one sentence 'Mera bhashan hi mera prashasan hai'... Beyond rhetoric, this government has nothing to offer to the people of this country," Tewari told reporters.
There is a big gap between the prime minister's rhetoric and the reality on ground, he said.
Tewari also took a jibe at Modi for asking partymen to take BJP beyond elections and make it a instrument of mass participation to improve the quality of life of the people.
"So, while the prime minister is entitled to make sanctimonious and preachy statements about the BJP being an instrument of mass welfare, the fact is that the BJP is nothing more than an electoral instrument predicated on polarising and dividing society for electoral gains," Tewari alleged.
"Social cohesion is in shreds, federalism has been repeatedly assaulted by this government, internal security is in shambles be it Kashmir, the North-east, or naxal affected areas," he alleged.
Tewari accused the Modi government of "shrinking" the Indian economy and said all the economic indicators are in a "free fall".
Demonetization, he alleged, has completely wiped out the informal economy.
"The flawed implementation of the GST Act or the GST Tax, which the UPA or the Congress party supported, has impacted job creation, has impacted the small and medium sector in a very adverse manner," he said.
On raids on Karti Chidambaram, he accused the government of misusing the Central Bureau of Investigation, the Income Tax Department and the Enforcement Directorate.
"All these three instrumentalities of the State are being abused, misused to the nth extent possible against their political opponents," he alleged
"The finance minister and his government are setting a very dangerous precedent and when you sow the wind, you unfortunately end up reaping the whirlwind," he warned.
Tewari said former finance minister P Chidambaram knows "his legal remedies very well".
On criticism of Rahul Gandhi's remarks during his visit abroad, Tewari alleged "the tradition of dragging domestic politics to foreign shores was consecrated by none else than the Prime Minister".
"The fact is that in the past 40 months the NDA-BJP government has completely disrupted social harmony in this country. They have subverted the federal framework of this country. They have played havoc with internal security," he alleged.
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content
