"Entire Strength Used To Take One Family Forward": PM Modi Attacks Congress

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday attacked the opposition Congress, saying its entire strength was used to ensure the progress of just one family. All kinds of scams used to take place under the Congress regime, PM Modi said, adding that his government stopped all those things in the last 10 years.

The Congress lacked the will and intention to provide amenities to people, he said.

The PM was speaking after inaugurating and laying the foundation stones for various projects in Dwarka, including India's longest cable-stayed bridge between Okha and Beyt Dwarka here in Gujarat.

"Those who ruled the country for a long time did not have the will power, intention and dedication to provide amenities to the common people," PM Modi said.

"The entire strength of the Congress has been used to take one family forward. If everything was to be done only for one family then how would one remember to build the country? Its (Congress) entire energy was focused on how to run the government for five years and how to hide scams," PM Modi said.

The Congress could make India's economy only the 11th largest because the party did not have the capacity to fulfil big dreams of the people of a vast nation, PM Modi said.

His government's commitment to put an end to all scams has resulted in the country's progress and the creation of grand infrastructure like the longest cable-stayed bridge connecting Beyt Okha and mainland Okha, the PM pointed out.

"Sudarshan Setu" boasts of a unique design, featuring a footpath adorned with verses from Srimad Bhagavad Gita and images of Lord Krishna on both sides.

On the 'Sudarshan Setu', the PM said he laid the foundation stone for this bridge six years ago and inaugurated it today.

"This is Modi's guarantee," he added.

When the economy was small, it did not have the capacity to fulfil huge dreams of a vast nation, he said, adding that whatever little budget was earmarked for infrastructure was looted by way of scams.

When the time came to improve telecom infrastructure, the Congress created the 2G scam and when it was time to strengthen sports infrastructure, the Congress created the Commonwealth scam, the PM said.

When it was the time to strengthen the defence infrastructure, the Congress indulged in the helicopter and submarine scam, he added "The Congress can only betray every need of the country. In 2014, when you all blessed me and sent me to Delhi, I had promised you all I will not let the country be looted. Scams worth several thousands of crores that used to happen during the Congress era have all been stopped," he asserted.

In the last 10 years, his government has made the country's economy the fifth largest in the world, and as a result such grand and divine constructions are taking place all over, which was creating "the new picture of new India", he said.

The sea bridge (Atal Setu) in Mumbai, the (railway) bridge on Chenab river in Jammu and Kashmir, the under construction vertical lift bridge in Tamil Nadu and a river bridge in Assam are examples of such mega projects, he pointed out.

The PM said he was fortunate to get a chance to inaugurate the bridge, the foundation stone of which he had laid six years ago.

"The bridge will connect Beyt Dwarka island to Okha mainland and add to the beauty of the place. Whatever was dreamed of, and whose foundation stone was laid was fulfilled. This is the guarantee of Modi, a servant of the public," he asserted.

The 'Sudarshan Setu' is not just another bridge but an engineering marvel that will reduce dependency of tourists and pilgrims on ferry boats.

"Modern connectivity is a way to build a prosperous and strong nation," the PM reiterated.

As chief minister of Gujarat, he had placed the idea of such a bridge in front of the (Congress-ruled) Centre several times but the latter never paid attention to it, PM Modi said.

Asserting that several tourist and pilgrimage spots in Gujarat had been improved leading to these become favoured places for international tourists, he asked people to ensure cleanliness of Dwarka for tourists.

Out of 85 lakh tourists who visited India, a fifth visited Gujarat.

"Till August last year, 15.5 lakh tourists visited Gujarat. The e-visa facility for international tourists has helped Gujarat, and created new opportunities of employment and self-employment," he said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)