PM skips Lalit Modi row, invites oppn attack

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday spoke about a number of social issues in his monthly radio address but chose to avoid any reference to the political storm that has been generated by the Lalit Modi issue, for which the Congress warned him that the issue will continue to “haunt” him.

The Communist Party of India and Aam Aadmi Party attacked Modi for remaining silent on the issue. In the programme, Modi refrained from speaking on the recent controversies surrounding Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj over the Lalit Modi issue.

Among various topics, he talked about the girl child, voicing concern over the depleting sex ratio in 100 districts of the country, with the situation being more serious in Haryana. He pitched for a mass campaign to save the girl child.

During the 20-minute programme, he also spoke about the recently-launched three social security schemes and three developmental schemes, including 'housing for all' by 2022, as well as the Yoga Day celebrated on June 21. He also emphasised on the need for saving water and planting trees to preserve the environment.

Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad expressed disappointment over the Prime Minister’s “failure” to speak on the controversy, and said he continued to be a “dream merchant”, in the programme.

His other senior party colleagues P Chidambaram and Digvijay Singh as also CPI's D Raja and AAP leader Ashish Khetan.

"All over India, no one is ready to listen to 'Mann Ki Baat....Everyone wants to listen to voice of people in the programme," said Azad, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha.

Taking a dig at Modi, Azad said he continued to be a "dream merchant" in the programme as he has been merely selling dreams in India and abroad.

"It is in the interest of the Prime Minister to take immediate action against those involved in corruption. Otherwise nationally and internationally, it is going to haunt him wherever he goes," he told reporters.