New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a fierce attack on the Congress party in Parliament on Wednesday, a day after Congress president Rahul Gandhi accused his government’s deal with France to buy Rafale jets a “scam.” Rahul asked Modi to speak the truth on the deal rather than mount an attack on the opposition. He also questioned Modi’s silence on the plight of farmers and employment opportunities for youth in his over one-hour speech.

“He spoke for more than one hour but didn’t speak a word on Rafale deal, or on farmers or on employment for youth. It was a totally political speech,” Rahul said.

Rahul said, “I think Modiji has forgotten that he is the PM now, he should answer questions and not always accuse the opposition.” He also targeted Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for her remarks that the details on Rafale deal cannot be disclosed since it is classified.

Modi delivered his political speech as he replied to the Motion of Thanks to the President’s address at the start of the Budget session 2018, but did not utter a word on Rafale. There was pandemonium in Lok Sabha as soon as the PM began his speech.

Pointing a finger at Congressmen, Modi said: “You were only singing paeans of one family instead of focusing on taking the country forward. How can one of the leaders say India got democracy due to Pandit Nehru and Congress Party? Is this their reading of India’s history? What arrogance is this? “India did not get democracy due to Pandit Nehru, as Congress wants us to believe. Please look at our rich history. There are many examples of rich democratic traditions that date back centuries ago. Democracy is integral to this nation and is in our culture,” he said.

He called the partition of the country a result of wrong policies followed by the Congress. “Not a single day has passed when country has not suffered due to poison sowed by you,” Modi said in Lok Sabha.

Even as BJP ally the Telugu Desam Party remained uneasy about the alliance, Modi said the people of Telangana were suffering for the hurried division of Andhra Pradesh by the Congress. “Under Atal Behari Vajpayee’s government too states were divided, but they were done with everyone’s confidence... the process was smooth... But the Congress has messed up in dividing Andhra Pradesh. They did it in a hurry, and without much thought,” said Modi.

Getting harsh with the Congress, Modi attacked it over “dynasty politics.” “For decades, one party devoted all their energies to serving one family. The interests of the nation were looked over just for the interests of one family. In December, did we witness an ‘election’ or coronation for the post of Congress President? One youngster raised his voice about this as well,” he said.

“Don’t give sermons on democracy to us, we know what you have done in the past.” He said that even after 70 years of Independence, 125 crore Indians have to suffer every single day for the sins that the Congress committed.

Opposition MPs shouted slogans as Modi spoke. “I wish the opposition had the courage to listen to silently,” he then said. “Opposition has the right to protest but not disrupt.” “You talk of democracy and try to lecture us? It was your party chief that tore up the paper and threw it in front of the media, it was your party chief that didn’t let young leaders give their points of view, and you preach us democracy,” Modi said.

Modi said if Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel had been the first Prime Minister, a part of Kashmir would not have been under control of Pakistan.