PM Modi's Independence Day speech proves he is still in 'election mode': Congress

Criticising the Independence Day speech of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday said that he is highly disappointed with the speech and it reflected that the later has not yet came out of the 2014 Assembly elections mode.

"The speech I heard from Prime Minister Modi today is very disappointing. I expected him to announce some good schemes about growth and also on how to stop atrocities on Dalits and how to safeguard the interest of the minorities and weaker sections. I also expected him to speak about unemployment of youth of this country. Every day jobs are reducing in this country and but unfortunately he has created hardly any employment in this country. So, this shows that during his period of two and a half years, he hasn't achieved any major thing. He is simply speaking on LED bulbs and electricity reaching 10,000 villages. There are lakhs of villages that were electrified that too with the Congress's efforts," Kharge told ANI.

He said that the Congress is one with the government as far as unity and integrity is concerned, adding that even in the Kashmir issue, all parties supported the view and the stand taken by the government.

"At the same time, the stalwarts like Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, Vallabh Bhai Patel and several other leaders built and laid foundation for democracy. And today this democracy exists and stands protected because of those strong principles and foundations. But, he (Prime Minister) failed to make a mention of those leaders because he thinks, that is also a party propaganda. He should rise above party and his usual style of 'Bhaiyo or Beheno'. He does not have any programs and achievements and that is why whatever he left out during the election speech two years back, he is repeating again and again," he added.

In a 90-minute-long address to the nation, which covered a wide gamut of issues, Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserted that there cannot be a bigger freedom for any citizen than the freedom from poverty, and invited all SAARC countries to fight this curse.

On inflation, he claimed that his two-year-old government has been successful in bringing it down from ten to six percent, in spite of being faced by a series of challenges.

"I will continue to strive hard to ensure that this inflation doesn't affect the food plate of the poor," he said.

This third Independence Day address of Modi backed the RBI target of bringing inflation down to four percent.

He also said that the government is committed to changing the situation where people are scared of filing their income tax or facing authorities of the department, particularly among middle class families.

He also dwelled on issues such as guaranteeing education for the girl child, financial independence for women and of the goods and services tax giving strength to the Indian economy.