PM hits back at Sonia, Rahul; tells them to digest defeat

Modi implied that Sonia Gandhi wielded real power during the UPA rule as an 'extra-constitutional' authority

Responding strongly to attacks on him by Sonia Gandhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today implied that she wielded real power during the UPA rule as an "extra-constitutional" authority whereas his government was run only by constitutional means.

Dismissing the Congress President's accusation that NDA government was showing "obstinate arrogance" in Parliament and that it was a government by "one person", Modi said, "Perhaps, she is referring to the fact that earlier extra-constitutional authorities were the ones really wielding power".

He went on to say that power was now "wielded only by constitutional means". If the charge is that "we are working through constitutional channels and not listening to any extra constitutional authorities, then I plead guilty to that charge."

The Prime Minister spoke about the attacks on him by Sonia and Rahul Gandhi, the land acquisition and GST bills, criticism of his foreign tours, "concentration" of power in PMO, reforms and a wide variety of other topics in an interview to PTI here.

Hitting back at Rahul for his "suit-boot ki sarkar" jibe, Modi said that the Congress had not been able to "digest" its crushing defeat in Lok Sabha polls even after one year.

"The people have punished them for their sins of omission and comission. We thought they would learn from this, but it looks as though they are proving right the earlier saying that if con is the opposite of pro, then Congress is the opposite of progress," he said.