PM Modi mocked the Congress on its tally of 44 seats in the 2014 national election
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday referred to Jawaharlal Nehru and quoted him extensively as he took aim at the opposition Congress in parliament, without naming Rahul Gandhi, who had attacked the government last week.
Tackling criticism of inflation on his watch, PM Modi went back to Jawaharlal Nehru's address to the nation from the Red Fort as India's first Prime Minister.
He said his government was trying to keep inflation in check and that it had been a priority for him.
"Pandit Nehru said from the Red Fort (when there was no globalisation) - 'the war in Korea is affecting us. That is why prices increase and they go out of our control'. How India's first Prime Minister threw up his hands in front of the country," PM Modi said.
"If something happens in America, it affects the price of our goods. Imagine how serious was the problem of inflation - that Nehru had to say this from Red Fort. If you were in power today, you would have blamed inflation on coronavirus and run away."
As the Congress protested, the Prime Minister quipped: "You complain I don't take Pandit ji's name. Today I will keep saying Nehru ji - enjoy... You keep saying Modi-ji does not take Nehru-ji's name. So I am fulfilling your wish."
Mocking the Congress on its tally of 44 seats in the 2014 national election, PM Modi said the Congress won elections on the "Garibi Hatao (remove poverty)" slogan but the "Garib removed them".
PM Modi said those who did not take lessons from history risk "losing themselves in it".
He also hit back at Rahul Gandhi's allegation that only a handful of industrialists were favoured by the government.
"Some in the Congress call some entrepreneurs corona variants. They call it AA variant. During the governments of Nehru and Indira Gandhi, people used to say Tata-Birla ki Sarkar. You are now talking their language," PM Modi said.
"Those who are used to living in the palace, don't even know what small farmers go through," he said.
Last week, Rahul Gandhi had referred to Jawaharlal Nehru, his great grandfather, in his speech in parliament.
"My great grandfather was jailed for 15 years as he tried to build this thing. My grandmother (Indira Gandhi) was shot 32 times. My father (Rajiv Gandhi) was blown to bits. So I know a little bit about this. You are fiddling with something very, very dangerous. I am advising you to stop. If you don't stop you will create a problem. The problem has already started," Mr Gandhi said, accusing the BJP of arrogance and not listening to states.