Rahul, Chidambaram attack PM Modi's electrification claim; call it 'jumla'

Congress President Rahul Gandhi and senior party leader P Chidambaram on Monday slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his claim that all villages in India have been provided electricity under his rule, and called it "another lie" and "complete jumla".

"#EkAurJhoot (another lie)," Gandhi tweeted attaching a news report that says Modi claims all Indian villages have been provided electricity connection.

Chidambaram also referred to Modi claiming credit for nearly 100 per cent electrification of villages as "another jumla".

He said electrification of a majority of villages was done by Congress governments and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government had completed electrification of only over 18,000 villages which was pending.

"This is another jumla. Let's assume they have electrified 18,000 villages. Who electrified the remaining 5 lakh 80,000 villages?" said Chidambaram.

"Those villages have not been electrified in the last 1,000 days. Those were electrified by previous governments. He electrified the last 18,000 villages and calls it a big achievement of his government," he added.

He also said: "This is complete jumla. It took them 1,000 days (three years) to electrify last 18,000 villages. Look at the work done by previous governments including 10 years of UPA. It electrified lakhs of villages in those years."

Modi on Sunday announced that all villages in India have now been connected with electricity.