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PM Modi praises Ghulam Nabi Azad, slips in 'G-23' taunt at Congress
Replying in the Rajya Sabha to a debate on the President’s budget session speech, PM Modi drew attention to Azad’s easy manner and his comments on his native Jammu and Kashmir and the recent local polls.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi marked out veteran Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad for special praise in Parliament while taking a swipe at the grand old party’s ongoing internal churning regarding the leadership issue and the letter controversy.
Replying in the Rajya Sabha to a debate on the President’s budget session speech, PM Modi drew attention to Azad’s easy manner and his comments on his native Jammu and Kashmir and the recent local polls.
“Ghulam Nabi ji always speaks decently, never uses foul language. We should learn this from him, I respect him for it. He praised elections held in J&K... I believe your party will take it in right spirit, and not make the mistake of doing opposite by listening to suggestions of G-23,” said the PM, referring the term for a group of 23 in the Congress who wrote to party chief Sonia Gandhi last year demanding changes in the organisation.
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Ghulam Nabi Azad, the leader of the opposition in the Rajya Sabha, was one of the signatories to that letter.
Before Azad, the PM singled out another Congress leader, Partap Singh Bajwa and panned him.
"Bajwa sahab from Congress was also speaking. He was speaking in such detail that I thought he will reach Emergency (period) shortly and speak on it, he is just one step away from it. But he didn't go there. Congress disappoints this country a lot, you did that too," remarked PM Modi.
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