Congress attack's Modi's I-Day speech, calls it visionless and hypocritical

Lashes out at Modi's proposal of scrapping Planning Commission

For a second consecutive day the Congress slammed PM Narendra Modi’s maiden Independence Day speech as “visionless” and bereft of any programmes. Congress even lashed out at Modi’s proposal of scrapping the Planning Commission and replacing it with a new institution calling it a “half baked alternative” where there is no clarity on what this new body will be like and what tasks had been cut out for it.

Congress spokesperson Shakeel Ahmed today critiqued Modi’s 15th August speech highlighting all major issues like price rise had been left out. Ahmed questioned Modi’s silence on Pakistan and China and the continuing ceasefire violations by Pakistan. “The BJP used to constantly attack our PM Manmohan Singh on these very issues. And now why is the PM silent?” asked Ahmed.

Congress also asked why there was no mention of marginalised communities like the SCs and STs and minorities in Modi’s speech.

Terming Modi’s call to put a moratorium on the communal violence debate for ten years as “hypocritical”, Ahmed accused the BJP and Modi of stirring divisiveness for electoral gains in the first place.  

Without mincing any words Ahmed said, “His party is based on the politics of communalism. On the ground, the BJP is instigating riots and conflicts. The Prime Minister himself climbed the ladder through communal conflicts”.

Referring to Modi’s call for cleanliness drive across the country, the Congress reiterated that the UPA government had long back started sanitation programmes and there was nothing new in it.