After BJP's Mega Event, Congress Dubs PM Modi As 'Sapno Ka Saudagar'

Opposition parties today continued its attack on the Modi government over its two-year rule with the Congress dubbing the prime minister as 'sapno ka saudagar' (merchant of dreams) for not keeping the promises he made during the 2014 Lok Sabha poll campaign.

The BJD accused the BJP-led government of moving in a pro-corporate and anti-people direction right from the beginning while the NCP said it was not able to contain the price rise and raised questions on the need for the mega celebrations in the national capital on completion of two years in office.

Hitting back at Congress for criticising the government over its second anniversary celebrations, BJP leader and Union Minister Kalraj Mishra said the main opposition party has a "negative" attitude and is levelling allegations to hide its shortcomings.

Claiming that the NDA government has failed on all fronts, senior Congress leader Anand Sharma called PM Modi a 'sapno ka saudagar' (merchant of dreams) for not keeping the promises he made during the Lok Sabha polls.

Mr Sharma also ridiculed the claims made by the prime minister on completion of two years in office and accused him of betraying people of the country. He said that PM Modi's words have no relation to truth.

"Investments and export have dropped. Lakhs of people have lost jobs. Modi has betrayed the country," he told reporters in Lucknow.

Hitting back at Congress for criticising the government over its second anniversary celebrations, BJP leader and Union Minister Kalraj Mishra said the main opposition party has a "negative" attitude and is levelling allegations to hide its shortcomings.

Claiming that the NDA government has failed on all fronts, senior Congress leader Anand Sharma called PM Modi a 'sapno ka saudagar' (merchant of dreams) for not keeping the promises he made during the Lok Sabha polls.

Mr Sharma, who was Commerce and Industry Minister in the UPA government, said that during the NDA government's rule investment in agriculture sector has declined.

The Deputy Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha charged the Modi government with taking credit by changing the names of schemes launched by the previous UPA government.

"This is not done. This is wrong," he said.

Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said that in the last two years, people have "seen through" the Prime Minister and in 2019, people will have the "last laugh", he said.

"In the past two years, the NDA government ripped the social fabric, slayed institutions, demolished federalism, sunk the economy and shrunk India's emerging international profile. That is the sum and substance of 'acche din'," he alleged.

Another Congress leader Kishore Chandra Deo compared PM Modi to "double-headed temple of Janus, the Greek god who speaks with one face and acts with another".

"Take only one issue - price rise, which affects the common people. Narendra Modi spoke much on the issue during campaigning (for the 2014 Lok Sabha polls). Now what is happening," asked NCP leader D P Tripathi.

"Take industry or agriculture, which sector is happy? If you see the happiness index, you will see there is no happiness, as nothing is happening," he said, adding, "Two years without even two smiles. There are miles to go."

Another Congress leader Kishore Chandra Deo compared PM Modi to "double-headed temple of Janus, the Greek god who speaks with one face and acts with another".

"Take only one issue - price rise, which affects the common people. Narendra Modi spoke much on the issue during campaigning (for the 2014 Lok Sabha polls). Now what is happening," asked NCP leader D P Tripathi.

"Take industry or agriculture, which sector is happy? If you see the happiness index, you will see there is no happiness, as nothing is happening," he said, adding, "Two years without even two smiles. There are miles to go."

BJD leader Tathagata Satpathy said the Modi government was unable to satisfy people's wishes on the ground level and that the country has been mis-served due to its "extremely bad managerial skills".

"Congress' attitude has always been negative. They are levelling allegations to hide their shortcomings. They have always cheated the country and misled the people through false slogans," Mr Mishra said.