Baghpat (UP): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday launched a scathing attack on Opposition Congress for spreading "lies and rumours" on issues ranging from dilution of anti-Dalit atrocities law to farmer issues, saying people who are used to worshipping a family have started opposing the country in their zeal to oppose Modi.
Speaking at a public rally after inaugurating the Rs 11,000-crore Eastern Peripheral Expressway, he said the Congress was "openly" spreading lies for its narrow political gains.
"People who are used to worshipping one family cannot worship democracy," he said.
After losing elections, they are rattled. "Modi ke virodh mein desh ka virodh karne lagenge, aisa mujhe nahi laga tha (I had not thought that in opposing Modi, they would start opposing the country)," he said.
At the rally, which came a day before by-elections in neighbouring Kairana Lok Sabha constituency, he asked citizens to see who are the people on either side.
"On that side are the people for whom their family is the country. For me, my country is my family," he said.
Alleging that the Congress never had faith in democracy or any institutions, he said the opposition party created a crisis of confidence when it pointed fingers at the Supreme Court, raised doubts on Election Commission and EVMs, eyed with suspicion the Reserve Bank and its policies and questioned international agencies praising India.
Modi further said the Congress even doubted credibility of institutions giving economic indicators, tried to put in docks agencies that are probing their misdeeds, negated the valour of the Army that conducted surgical strikes across the border and criticised foreign dignitaries praising the government.
"Now they are also seeing the media as biased," he said.
The prime minister said he is not bothered by the Opposition attacks on him as he knows the people of the country are with him and those who for 70 years deceived poor, middle-class, farmers and youth are now rattled.
"Truth is that Congress and its allies either create obstacles or make fun of any work done for upliftment of poor, Dalits and tribals. To them, the country's development too is a joke. To them, Swachh Bharat, free cooking gas (LPG) connection to poor women, building toilets and opening bank accounts for poor are a joke," he said.
Without taking the name of Congress or its president Rahul Gandhi, he said, "Those used to seeing power for generations consider any work done for poor as a joke. Those who tear Cabinet notes don't deem it fit to respect law passed by Parliament unanimously."