Congress has become outdated, was always against quota: PM

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday launched a scathing attack on the Congress alleging that the opposition party has become outdated and has always been against any kind of reservation. Replying to the debate on the Motion of Thanks in the Rajya Sabha, Modi said the Congress party has "outsourced" its work and expressed his sympathies over its downfall.

"The Congress' thought has become outdated and it has outsourced its work. We are not happy at such a downfall of the party and we express our sympathies," he said. Citing a letter written by Jawaharlal Nehru to chief ministers, Modi said it clearly states that the first prime minister was against reservation of any kind, especially in jobs, as it adversely affected the functioning of the government. Modi said President Droupadi Murmu, in her address in Parliament, talked about solving the problems of the four largest sections of society -- the poor, farmers, the youth and women.

"The Congress strangled democracy for power and dismissed democratically elected governments. The Congress has been against Dalits, backwards, tribals and had it not been for Babasaheb Ambedkar, they would not have got any reservation," he said.

Modi also accused the Congress of creating narratives to divide the country and alleged that it was now trying to give such statements that sought to create a North-South divide. The party that ceased large chunks of the country's land to an enemy nation is now giving sermons to us on internal security, he said, attacking the Congress. "The Congress does not have guarantee of its own leaders and policies but is questioning Modi's guarantees," he said.

The prime minister said the Congress was aware of the problems facing the country but did nothing to resolve them. "We have come out of a difficult time and have brought the country out of its problems," the PM said. Modi said the Congress was inspired by the British and that is why it continued with the symbols of slavery for decades. "The Congress gave such narratives that those following Indian traditions were looked down upon," he said.