PM Modi’s New Year interview ‘bereft of reality, full of rhetoric’: Congress

New Delhi: Describing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s interview as bereft of reality and full of rhetoric, the Congress alleged that he was “peddling in lies” and asserted that the countdown for his exit has begun.

Terming it as a “fixed interview”, the party said there was no mention of ground realities or any concern for promises made by him to the people.

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the Prime Minister should have spoken about the 10 big promises and issues he had talked about earlier — 15 lakh in every bank account, bringing back 80 lakh crore black money, 2 crore jobs per year, cost and 50 per cent profit for farmers, GST, demonetisation “scam”, national security, corruption and “scams” such as Rafale, and cleaning of Ganga.

“The people are with the opposition and the ‘gathbandhan of thugs’ should start its countdown as only 99 days are left,” he said on the Prime Minister’s claim that the 2019 elections are going to be a fight between the people and the ‘mahagathbandhan’.

“The monologue interview of Modi ji turned out to be much ado about nothing. It was about I, me, mine, myself…Modiji, your ‘I’s and lies’ have destroyed the social fabric and the economy of the country, trampling upon Constitutional institutions as also rights of individuals,” Surjewala said at a press conference.

In the interview broadcast by various television channels, PM Modi talked about a host of issues, including the surgical strikes, the Ram temple’s construction and personal attacks on him by the Congress. He also accused the Congress leadership of politicising and delaying the legal process in clearance of the Ram temple’s construction.

On the Ram temple issue, Surjewala said the matter is pending before the Supreme Court and whatever decision comes, should be adhered to and accepted by all. “There is no need for an ordinance thereafter, as Prime Minister is trying to deviate. Which constituency is he trying to please. He has already rejected his own party and RSS’ demand.”

“We are happy that the Prime Minister is today stating that the Supreme Court will decide the issue and is trying to confuse and sidestep the issue by saying that the ordinance will come thereafter. There is no need for an ordinance, Mr Prime Minister, that is the law of the land once they decide the issue,” he said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Kashmir Monitor staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)