PM Narendra Modi invokes Indira Gandhi again, takes dig at Congress

Narendra Modi

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday invoked Congress stalwart Indira Gandhi's name yet again and made a veiled attack on the Congress for 'trying to take credit for all projects and initiatives of my government'.

Narendra Modi. Pic/PTI

"There are two kinds of people -- those who work and others who take credit for it," the prime minister said in the Rajya Sabha while replying to the debate on President Pranab Mukherjee's address to a joint sitting of parliament.

None other than former prime minister Indira Gandhi said that 'there is less competition in the first category of those who work', he said while taking a potshot at the Congress.

During his reply to the motion of thanks on the president's address in the Lok Sabha on March 3, Modi had quoted from speeches of Indira Gandhi as well as Jawaharlal Nehru and Rajiv Gandhi.

Referring to skill development and clean Ganga initiatives launched by his government, the prime minister said skill development was an important facet of governance and social development was continuing in India as an old tradition. Every government has contributed its part in that endeavour, he added.

Similarly, he said, the Congress would raise its voice on the Ganga cleanliness drive taken up with renewed vigour by his government. "I know such a voice will be raised from your end," he told the opposition members.

"But the issue is not the initiative only... I know Rajiv Gandhi had started the clean Ganga project... if you have started it, why then is Ganga not clean these days," he said.

Even on skill development, he directed his attack against the Congress and said that while there was no lack of knowledge about the importance of skill development, nothing substantial had been achieved.

Several skill development projects were launched, named and renamed, he said.