With Parliament rocked by constant disruptions, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday hit out at the Congress, accusing it of making a "mockery of democracy" and deciding to "destroy" the country as it cannot reconcile to the Lok Sabha poll defeat.
"Disrupt, Destruct and Demolish" is now the Congress slogan ignoring President Pranab Mukherjee's counsel for debate, dissent and decision for Parliament to function, he said in his blistering attack on the Congress, a fortnight after he reached out to to the main opposition party in a bid to sort out differences over the GST bill.
"Those whom people had defeated in the last Lok Sabha elections, sent them home. they are ruined. They all have now decided 'Now that we are destroyed, we will destroy you also. We won't allow the Parliament to run. Whatever happens to the country be it. You have destroyed us, Now see what we'll do.' They have made mockery of democracy," Modi said in an obvious reference to Congress's tactics, especially in the Rajya Sabha, without naming the main opposition party.
Modi, who is on the second day of his visit to Kerala, was addressing a gathering of SNDP workers after unveiling the statue of former chief minister R Sankar who hailed from the backward ezhava community and belonged to the Congress.
The function was organised by Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam, an outfit of the ezhava Community whose votes the BJP is hoping to woo in the Assembly elections in the state due early next year.
The event was marred by a controversy with Chief Minister Oommen Chandy being told to stay away after being invited at the instance of SNDP yogam chief Vellapalli Natesan who received the prime minister.
Apparently referring to President Mukherjee's remarks on growing intolerance in the country, Modi said some people had debated over this for days together. But when the President had two days ago stated in Kolkata that India needs to follow the 3Ds--'Debate, dissent and decision', Congressmen had gone silent as if they had not heard it, he added.
Congress seems to have swallowed away the 3Ds mentioned by the President and instead the 3Ds they are following is 'disrupt, destroy and demolish', Modi said.
"They have swallowed the 3 Ds. They like only one D which is destruct--that is disrupt, destruct, demolish. They have only this D. They have forgotten President's three Ds," Modi said.
"Our path is the 3 Ds shown by the President and the 4th D for us is development," he said, amidst cheers by the assembled audience.
Kollam MLA and Mayor boycotted the function in protest over Chandy's exclusion. Sankar's family also boycotted the event.
Congress also organised a 'Prarthana sangamam' in front of Sankar's statue at Palayam in Thiruvananthapuram as part of the protest.
Modi assured people of Kerala that the Centre would work continiously towards fulfilling R Sankar's dreams.
In an attempt to link Sankar with the BJP, Modi said the former Kerala chief minister had invited Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, the founder member of Jana Sangh, which later became the BJP, when Sankar founded the Hindu Mahamandalam.
Image: Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivers a lecture at SN College in Kollam, Kerala on Tuesday. The Prime Minister also unveiled a statue of R Shankar at the college. PTI Photo
