Congress criticises PM Modi on Azamgarh speech

Congress leader Pramod Tiwari on Saturday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is taking undue credit for Purvanchal Expressway as the land acquisition for the project was done much before the Bhartiya Janata Party Government came to power in Uttar Pradesh.

Evoking the Unnao rape issue, Tiwari said that even though the Prime Minister spoke about women safety in his speech, the BJP MLA accused of raping a minor in Uttar Pradesh still holds his position.

"The BJP MLA in Unnao, who (allegedly) raped a minor girl, has still not been ousted from the party. The Prime Minister should have at least spoken of removing him in today's speech," he said.

Reacting to the Prime Minister's attack on the Congress on the issue of Triple Talaq, Tiwari said, "Congress has always been by the side of people irrespective of their caste and religion. We don't play the politics of 'Samshan' or 'Kabristan'."

Senior Congress spokesperson, Priyanka Chaturvedi also attacked Prime Minister Modi and said if the Prime Minister is so concerned about women, why has there been no action taken against its party leaders who were rallying in favour of the accused in the Kathua rape case.

She also raked up the Unnao rape case and said why has there not been any action taken against BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar, accused in the case.

"He has been arrested but that happened only after people agitated against him and built pressure for action to be taken," she said.

While addressing a rally at Uttar Pradesh's Azamgarh, attacking the Opposition, the Prime Minister said while the Centre is trying their best for the welfare and development of Muslim women, the Opposition is resisting efforts of the Centre.

He even accused the Opposition of trying to cause hindrance to the development of the backward class.

"For their political gain, the Opposition is trying to prevent the development of the backward class. They know if the Dalits, the poor and the other backward classes are empowered, their 'business' will shut down," he said.