PM Narendra Modi blaming others to hide his govt's failures: Congress

Senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge on 20 October accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of backing away from responsibilities by shifting blame and slamming Opposition at every failure of the ruling dispensation at the Centre.

"He cannot back away from responsibilities by shifting the blame on others. He's making such comments whenever he is failing at his duties," Kharge told ANI.

Kharge's statement comes in the backdrop of Prime Minister Modi's address in Uttarakhand earlier in the day, where he claimed that he offered financial help during the 2013 Uttarakhand floods as the Chief Minister of Gujarat, but the then government of Congress Party at the Centre became "nervous".

"It doesn't suit a Prime Minister to say such things," Kharge remarked on PM Modi' s statement, adding that the central government had extended full support in the 2013 floods, along with state governments and NGOs.

Kharge, who was the railway minister at the time, claimed that the railway ministry also helped on the ground, and even took heed to Modi's request for help.

"He (Narendra Modi) himself called me to ask for a special train for rescuing people of Gujarat from Haridwar, we duly discharged our duty," Kharge said.

Reiterating his opinion on the failure of the Modi Government, the Congress leader also said that those who elected Prime Minister Modi are now criticising his decision of demonetisation and Goods and Services Tax (GST).

Continuing his attack on Prime Minister Modi, the Congress leader expressed agreement with former finance minister and Congress leader P. Chidambaram, who hinted on Election Commission (EC) being under the control of Prime Minister, over delay in announcing the dates for Gujarat elections.

"It does seem the Election Commission sets election dates in consultation with the PM," Kharge said.

"By postponing polls in Gujarat, the PM is buying time to extend benefits to people there so that he gets votes. BJP's face for the state is not the local Chief Minister, but PM Modi," Kharge said.

He further stated that BJP cannot succeed by functioning in the name of a single person, "In how many states will Prime Minister Modi's face work?" 

-ANI