Prime Minister Narendra Modi while speaking in Lok Sabha.
In a jibe that seem to be for Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said some people appeared reluctant to learn with age.
"Some people learn with age but some don't," PM Modi said in the Lok Sabha, a day after Mr Gandhi attacked the prime minister in Parliament over various issues.
Without taking Mr Gandhi's name, the PM recalled how the Congress leader in 2013 had talked about tearing up an Ordinance or Executive order issued by the government of his own party in the presence of reporters.
"The ordinance was torn apart when the then honourable prime minister Manmohan Singh was in the US to meet (Barack) Obama...Please learn to respect elders," PM Modi said. Rahul Gandhi sat across the hall in the opposition benches, listening.
Lawmakers from the BJP and its allies thumped their desks in appreciation even as the opposition booed following the PM's remark.
PM Modi said he was being criticised because the Congress was feeling "jealous" with his government's achievements in less than two years -- something "they couldn't do in 60 years".
"They are worried because we are doing better."
However, as his more than an hour-long speech in Hindi drew to a close, PM Modi also reached out to the Opposition saying, "Let's walk shoulder-to-shoulder and do something for the country. I am new, you are experienced. Come, let us work together for the country."
"All of us have to work together and think of increasing the accountability of the executive," he said.