'Congress-free India' was Gandhiji's idea not Narendra Modi's, says PM in Rajya Sabha

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday flayed the Congress party on 'blocking' the triple talaq bill in the Rajya Sabha. Modi said if the Congress believed that the law criminalising the practice of triple talaq was in favour of women then why it did not bring it when the party was in power. Modi also targetted Congress for opposing jail term for the violators in the triple talaq law. He said, "If a Hindu man marries two women, he is sent to jail. We don't dsscuss on what will happen to his family if he was the only son." Unleashing his attack on Congress, Modi on said the idea of 'Congress-free India' was given by Mahatma Gandhi and not by the BJP. Replying to the Motion of Thanks on the President's Address in the Rajya Sabha, Modi said he wants India to become what Mahatma Gandhi had once desired. "They say they want Gandhi's India. We also want Gandhi's India because Gandhiji had said that there was no need of the Congress after we got our Independence," the Prime Minister said. Modi said, "Congress-free India was Gandhiji's idea and not of the BJP." "We want Mahatma Gandhi's India. But the Congress wants 'Gandhi's India' - the India of the Emergency, Bofors, Chopper scams," he told the Rajya Sabha. Highlights of PM Narendra Modi's address in Rajya Sabha

• Let us have a constructive discussion on holding simultaneous Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections in the various states
• We are working to ensure that every Indian has his or her own home
• Look at what all you (Congress) mocked- Swachh Bharat, Make in India, surgical strikes, Yoga Day. You are free to mock as you please but why are you blocking the bill for OBC Commission? Why are you blocking triple talaq bill.  Are you not sensitive to the aspirations of OBCs
• Mere budget allocation is not sufficient. We need to look at the outlay. Congress government's rarely talk about output and do not talk about outcome reports. We emphasize on the outcome of the schemes
• During the Gujarat campaign, I was happy- I thought at least now the Congress realised the greatness of Sardar Patel. Sadly, one week after the results Sardar Patel was missing in Congress posters
• The eastern parts of India have to develop and that is why more resources are being devoted towards these states
• Congress keeps saying we brought Aadhaar. Let me remind them about a debate in the Rajya Sabha in 1998 and what LK Advani Ji said. It is in his speech that you will find the genesis of Aadhaar
• You call us name changers....we are aim changers - we work hard and have ushered in a paradigm shift in the working of the Government. Innovative projects are being thought about and completed in a time-bound manner:
• Congress wants the India of the Tandoor Case. I also went to Davos, you also went to Davos. But the difference is- you went with a letter to save someone
• When a big tree falls......remember these lines...is this the India Congress wants
• We want Mahatma Gandhi's India. Even the Congress wants 'Gandhi's India.' - the India of the Emergency, Bofors, Chopper scams
• I fail to understand why some people feel bad when India improves its ease of business rankings
• We are always looking for suggestions, feedback and input on our schemes. After all, we are working for the nation and the poor
• Let us work together in providing the poor quality and affordable healthcare
• MPs spoke about Ayushman Bharat and some of them began to compare with USA and Britain. I think every nation has its own context, challenges and nature of working. What I am sure we agree on is that there is a lot of work to be done in our health sector