Congress accuses Modi of running 'one-man government', says his name refers to 'Murder of Democratic India'

Bengaluru/Mumbai: In a stinging counter offensive, Congress on Saturday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had no work on ground to show and accused him of "murdering democratic institutions" while running "a one-man government".

Presenting a five-chapter report card on the completion of one year of Modi government, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said "MODI refers to Murder Of Democratic India" as it has bypassed Parliament with its "maximum governance becoming maximum arrogance and minimum government becoming one-man government".

Calling Modi "Super Gagan Vihari", Congress leaders also attacked the Prime Minister over his foreign visits saying he was only busy polishing his global image.

The opposition party accused Modi government of playing with national security, saying "reducing defence expenditure, frequent ceasefire violations, Pakistani and Chinese infiltration into Indian territory and no decision over one-rank one-pension scheme show its lack of concern".

Questioning the government's move to buy 36 Rafale fighter jets from France in fly-away condition, Congress leader and former Defence Minister AK Antony wondered whether the Finance Ministry and Defence Acquisition Council were taken on board on the deal.

Presenting the "report card", Ramesh told reporters in Bengaluru, "Chapter one refers to MODI - Murder Of Democratic India; ...in the last one year he has completely bypassed Parliament, he rarely comes to Parliament, he was not present when Constitution Amendment Bill on GST was voted in Lok Sabha."

In the last one year, of the 53 bills presented in Parliament, only five had gone to the standing committee, when normally all bills go to it, he said.

Ramesh described the five chapters of the report card as "murder" of democratic institutions, maximum governance becoming maximum arrogance and minimum government becoming one man government, turnaround becoming U-turns some positive some negative, repackaging of UPA programmes and sharp reduction in allocation for social sector schemes like health, drinking, water and sanitation.

"This, in short, is what Mr Modi has accomplished in the last one year," he said.

With Finance Minister Arun Jaitley launching a media blitz over the achievements of the Modi government on its first anniversary, Congress leader Kapil Sibal alleged that he was indulging in "big talk" and was unaware of ground realities.

"Badi badi baatein karte hain Jaitley sahab...He says they have controlled inflation. I would like to ask Jaitley: Have you been near the first floor of the North Block? Have you been to the market? What will a person who sits in North Block know about market," the former Union minister said in Mumbai.

They have given the slogan of "saal ek, kaam anek' but in reality, it is "saal ek, baatein anek", Sibal said. "All the work they claim to have done is in the air. We don't see that work on ground. Do you see it?" he asked.

On Modi's foreign tours, he said, "In last one year, Modi was on foreign tour for 53 days and was touring India for 48 days. No Prime Minister had criticised India while on foreign tour but Modi did that."

"Congress is not opposed to Modi's foreign trips per se, after all in every government Prime Minister is a Foreign Minister in a way - right from Jawaharlal Nehru's time, and Atal Bihari Vajpaee who was Foreign Minister used to be called 'Gagan Vihari Vajpayee', but Mr Modi has become 'Super Gagan Vihari'," Ramesh said.

In a dig at Modi's remarks against the opposition abroad, former Union minister CP Joshi, in Raipur, said, "We hope that PM comes out of the election mode. Elections are over in the country and there is no election in foreign countries. You (PM) are campaigning in (foreign countries) in such a way...(but) there is no election there to elect a world leader."

On the $6 billion Rafale deal, Antony said in Delhi that neither the Prime Minister, nor the Defence Minister or the Armed Forces could procure any equipment bypassing the Defence Acquisition Council.

He also sought to know about the technology transfer between Dassault and HAL based on which 108 more aircraft were to be "made in India".