'Not scared to be seen with industrialists', says PM; slams Oppn

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said he was not afraid of being seen with industrialists playing a key role in the nation's development, as he slammed the opposition parties for the "mistakes" made during 70 years after India's independence.

Attacking them for calling industrialists "chor and luterey", Modi said that he did not hesitate in standing with the business community as his "intentions" are clear.

"We are not those who are scared of standing next to businessmen," he said, adding like farmers, bankers, government employees and labourers, industrialists also contributed to the development of the country.

Modi's retort came against the backdrop of the repeated attacks by the Congress, which has been alleging that the prime minister had links with "corrupt" industrialists and has been accusing him of neglecting the farmers and the underprivileged.

The prime minister said those who used to look for issues to criticise him, should note that whatever mistake they find dates back to 70 years.

"Please note, whatever you find will be dating back to 70 years (of their rule) and not from my four years. I have only four years in my account and you have 70 years," he said.

Modi, who launched as many as 81 investment projects worth over Rs 60,000 crore here, said even Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi stayed with the Birla family but his intentions were pure.

"You cannot have blot on you simply by standing with anyone if your intentions are good and clear. Gandhiji's intentions were so pure that he never hesitated in staying with Birla family," he said.

"Public mey milna nahi, parde ke peeche sab kuch karna hai. Woh dartey rahtey hain. (Those who do not meet publicly and do everything behind curtains remain scared)," he said.

Amar Singh, former SP leader, is sitting here and he can give you all the details, Modi said with a laughter.

"Should we insult them (industrialists and businessmen) by labelling them as 'chor' and 'luterey'. What is this? Those who will do wrong will have to leave the country or spend life in the jail. This was not done earlier because everything was done behind the curtains..."