For Congress, party's interests are above the country's: PM Modi

PM Modi launched a scathing attack on Congress during BJP's parliamentary meet. He said Congress did nothing to weed out black money menace. He said nation should adopt digital economy as way of life.

New Delhi, Dec 16: Prime Minister Narendra Modi ripped into the Opposition over the Parliament logjam during his address to Bharatiya Janata Party members in a parliamentary meet on Friday. Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leaders including Home Minister Rajnath Singh, party president Amit Shah and Parliamentary affairs minister Ananth Kumar are present at the meet. Modi's remarks came on the last day of the Winter Session, which has been a washout due to impasse over the implementation of the demonetisation policy, announced by the PM on November 8.

Targeting Congress, the Prime Minister alleged that it has always put its interest over that of the country while for BJP the nation's interests are supreme

He again pitched for digital economy as he appealed to the masses to adopt it as a "way of life" to rid the society of corruption and black money.

Attacking former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who has been unsparing in his criticism of demonetisation, Modi said he advocated strong measures against corruption and black money but did "nothing" during his rule of 10 years

He also cited late Left stalwart Harkishan Singh Surjeet to support his government's action

"Earlier the ruling side, especially Congress, would commit scams like 2G, coal-gate, Bofors and the Opposition would then unite and fight against it on the principle of honesty. But now the ruling side, the BJP-led NDA, has started a campaign again black money and corruption and opposition parties are standing against it," he said

Modi also noted that the Wanchoo Committee in early 70s had recommended demonetisation when Indira Gandhi was Prime Minister, recalling that the then senior Left leader Jyotirmoy Basu had demanded its quick implementation, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar told reporters following the meeting

"The Wanchoo committee had said it will boost economy. Now after 45 years we have done demonetisation but Congress is opposing it. The Left has also joined hands with Congress," he said.

Painting Congress as a "votary of corruption", he said it had made a law against benami assets in 1988 but never notified it or framed rules and regulations, ensuring that the legislation never came into force

"For us, the country's interests are always above the party's. For Congress, party's interests are above the country's," the PM said

On a day that marks the anniversary of Bangladesh's liberation, Modi also targeted the opposition over its remarks on the army's surgical strikes

The Opposition in 1971-72 did not seek evidence of the army's valour unlike that of today, he said.

PTI