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NEW DELHI — Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday stepped up his attack on the Congress, calling it "outdated" and accusing it of creating new narratives to divide the country, even as he asserted that the "Modi 3.0" government will put all its might to make India a developed nation.
Replying to the debate on the Motion of Thanks on the President's Address in Rajya Sabha, the prime minister said the country has no appetite left for those whose warranty has expired and will move forward while trusting Modi's guarantee.
"The third term of our government is not far away. Some people call it Modi 3.0. Modi 3.0 will put all its might to strengthen the foundation of 'Viksit Bharat'," he said expressing confidence about winning his third consecutive Lok Sabha polls.
In his 90-minute speech, considered his last in Parliament before the general elections, Modi targeted the Congress saying there is public anger against the party because of its deeds and pointed to its dwindled strength in Lok Sabha.
He also took a dig at Rahul Gandhi, who is currently undertaking east-to-west 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra', saying the Congress has made numerous efforts to launch the "Yuvraj" and make him a "Start-Up" but he is a "non-starter".
"What will the doctor do when the patient himself...," he said.
"I'm convinced that the Congress thought has become outdated and they have outsourced all their work. We are not happy to see such levels of decline and depletion of a party that ruled India for centuries. You have our full sympathies," he said.
"The Congress which has no guarantee of its leader, its policy, is raising questions on Modi's guarantee," the PM said.
Modi lamented that "now statements are being made to break the country into north and south".
He alleged that the Congress opposed Dalits, backwards, tribals since its birth and had it not been for Babasaheb Ambedkar, the underprivileged would not have had any reservations.
Picking up from where he left off in his reply in Lok Sabha on Monday, he asserted that the country is angry with the Congress due to its 10 years of "misrule".
"Why was the country so angry with ten years of their rule? Not because of us. It was the result of their karma and actions," he said.
Citing a letter written by Jawaharlal Nehru to chief ministers, Modi said it clearly states that the first prime minister was against reservation of any kind, especially in jobs, as the ex-PM felt it adversely affected the functioning of the government.
"Nehru's words are cast in stone for the Congress. You may say whatever you want for display, your thought process is different," he noted.
The PM's remarks came in the backdrop of the Congress accusing the Modi government of running away from a caste census and promising to remove the 50 per cent cap on reservation if the INDIA bloc wins the Lok Sabha elections.
Modi said the party that gave up "large chunks of the country's land to an enemy nation is now giving sermons to us on internal security."
"The Congress which had openly strangled democracy in its greed for power, the Congress which had dismissed democratically elected governments dozens of times overnight, the Congress which had even tried to lock newspapers, now that Congress has started creating the narrative of breaking it," he alleged.
Modi said his first two terms have gone in removing problems that gripped the nation due to long Congress misrule, which he alleged knew of the "disease" but did nothing to resolve it.
"Viksit Bharat is not a wordplay, but it is our commitment," Modi said while outlining an ambitious roadmap for the next five years.
Elaborating on his vision for the next five years, Modi said all flagship programmes like providing free ration, houses, cheaper medicines and focus will be made on neo rich.
Modi said India will see more startups, one lakh unicorns, a record number of patents, the best universities, greater participation in international sports, transformation in public transportation, and bullet trains in the next term to see an "Aatmanirbhar Bharat".
Accusing the Congress of creating fresh narratives that seek to divide the country, the prime minister said the party and its government in Karnataka should stop attempting to create a north and south divide as it jeopardises the country's future.
Modi was referring to the protest by the Congress led by Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in Delhi over alleged "injustice" meted out by the Centre on tax devolution.
"An entire state is speaking this language, nothing can be worse for the country than this... And it is very painful that such language is emerging from a national party, it is very sad," the prime minister said.
He said the Congress-led UPA's 10-year rule at the Centre during former prime minister Manmohan Singh's tenure was marked by "policy paralysis" while India's economy was in 'Fragile Five'.
Quoting Singh, Modi said the ex-PM had stated that "there is widespread anger across the nation regarding the misuse of public office".
Modi noted that President Droupadi Murmu, in her address in Parliament, talked about solving the problems of the four largest sections of society -- the poor, farmers, the youth and women.
He also alleged that Congress has tried to defame the President as its senior leaders have used objectionable words for her.
Modi alleged the Congress was inspired by the British and that is why it continued with the symbols of slavery for decades.
"The Congress gave such narratives that those following the Indian traditions were denigrated as regressive," he said.
Modi also took a swipe at Kharge, saying he enjoyed listening to him. Without naming Rahul Gandhi, the prime minister said he is on a different duty and "Kharge ji bridged the gap of entertainment".