'Aapka aashirwad...': Modi's jibe at Kharge in RS

Launching a strong attack on Congress in his reply to the debate on the motion of thanks to the President's address in Rajya Sabha, the Prime Minister targeted its leader Mallikarjun Kharge and took potshots at Rahul Gandhi while stating that the opposition cannot suppress his voice and people of the country have strengthened it.

The prime minister said the Congress 'is outdated in terms of thinking, and therefore they have outsourced their work'.

He referred to Kharge's mention of '400 seats remark' for the Bharatiya Janata Party in the House which the Congress leader had later clarified.

"Ek baat khushi ki rahi, unhone (Kharge) jo 400 seat NDA ke liye aashirwad diya hai...aapka aashirwad mere sar aankhon par," the prime minister said.

Kharge in his remarks had referred to the BJP election slogan of 'abki baar 400 par'.

"With a current majority of 330-334 seats, this time it...will be above 400...," he said, evoking smiles from BJP benches.

However, Kharge had quickly added that BJP members have been elected due to Modi and the ruling party will not even cross 100 seats in the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls.

Modi also took a jibe at Kharge over his long speech during the debate and used lines from a popular Bollywood song 'Aisa mauka phir kahan milega' to target the Congress leader.

"Mallikarjun Kharge ji spoke in Rajya Sabha for a long time and I was thinking about how he got the chance to speak for a long time and then I realised that two special commanders were not there so he took the advantage of it and I think that Kharge ji must have heard that song 'Aisa mauka phir kaha milega'..," he said.

"I could not say it that day but I express my special gratitude to Kharge ji. I was listening to him with great attention and enjoyment that day. The lack of entertainment that we were missing in the Lok Sabha was fulfilled by him," Modi said, apparently referring to absence of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in the Lok Sabha. Gandhi is leading Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra.

Modi also targeted opposition members who were interrupting his speech.

"I remember the incident from last years. We used to sit in that building and attempts were made to stifle the voices of the PM of the country...Today too, you have come prepared to not listen. But you can't suppress my voice. People of the country have strengthened this voice...I too have come prepared this time," he said.

Modi said that President Droupadi Murmu, in her address, spoke about India's potential, strength, and bright future.