E-Paper
‘As if he was at a paan tapri’: Congress leader on Modi's speech in Rajya Sabha
In his speech in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi targeted the Congress which has criticised the government for ignoring Jawaharlal Nehru's efforts in nation-building.
Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole on Saturday blasted Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his reply to the debate on the motion of thanks on the President's address, saying he spoke in the Upper House of Parliament as if he was at a ‘Paan Tapri’, or Paan shop. Speaking to news agency ANI, Patole said that the Modi government murdered democracy by expunging senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's speech where he linked the meteoric rise of billionaire Gautam Adani to his widely perceived proximity to the prime minister.
Noting that similar questions were raised by the leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Patole said none were addressed by the prime minister and instead spoke "as if he was at a paan shop", in an apparent reference to Modi's remarks on the Gandhis not using the Nehru surname.
"...All questions raised by Rahul Gandhi in Lok Sabha were expunged...You should've seen PM Modi's speech. He spoke as if he was at a 'paan tapri'. He will have to answer. Are you Adani's chowkidar or that of 140 crore people?" the Congress leader said.
In his speech in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday, Prime Minister Modi targeted the Congress which has criticised the government for ignoring Jawaharlal Nehru's efforts in nation-building.
"...if Nehru ji's name is left out by us, we would correct our mistake as he was the first prime minister of the country. But I do not understand why anyone from his clan is afraid of keeping the Nehru surname? Is there any shame in having the Nehru surname? What is the shame? When the family is not ready to accept such a great personality, why do you keep questioning us," he said.
Asking who in India uses their maternal grandfather's surname, the Congress on Friday hit out at Modi and said he doesn't have a basic understanding of Indian culture.
"Only god can save the country," AICC general secretary Randeep Surjewala told reporters at the party headquarters in the presence of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge.
"Someone who is sitting on such a responsible position does not know or understand the culture of India...will speak like this.... You can ask any person in the country, who uses maternal grandfather's surname?" he asked.
