BJP faced more pain than any other party.

​New Delhi : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said the BJP as a political party has faced more adversities in independent India as compared to any other political party, and the world knows the party only through what others have said about it.

"Even during the British rule, the Congress party would not have faced so much adversity that we have gone through in the last 50-60 years," Modi said after he laid the foundation stone of the new party headquarters here.

"Sacrifice of generations of karyakartas (workers) inspire us to work," he said.

Addressing a large gathering of people, including ministers, party leaders and workers, the Prime Minister said the BJP did not even care to keep a record of its activities in the past as the leaders and workers of the party did not pay much attention to it.

"It was not a mistake as they were more concerned about welfare of the people and the work being done in this regard," he said, adding that if one has to look for a picture of Atal Bihari Vajpayee doing something for the people, it will not be found.

The Congress has called it "a grave insult to the freedom movement" and has demanded PM Modi withdraw his comment and apologise.

"Modi ji has insulted India's freedom struggle and every person who was hanged, locked in jail and gave up everything for India.

Modi ji has insulted Bharat Mata," said Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala.

PM Modi attacked the Trinamool Congress too when he said that the BJP found it difficult to hire an office in Kolkata during this year's assembly election in West Bengal as anybody willing to given them space would face trouble.