'PM Modi Good At Speeches, Short On Facts': Priyanka Gandhi Rebuts Claims Against Nehru Amid Vande Mataram Debate

Congress MP from Wayanad Priyanka Gandhi slammed the Centre on Monday during a debate over Vande Mataram in the Lok Sabha during the Winter Session of the Parliament.

During her speech, she retorted at the Centre, saying that it is indulging in debate on Vande Mataram to divert the attention of the people. She said that the debate was taken up as West Bengal elections are expected in the coming months.

Top quotes

- As PM Modi led the discussion on VandeMataram, Priyanka took a jibe at him, saying he is short on facts. She said, "PM Modi gives a good speech, but there is one shortcoming that he is weak on facts."

- Questioning the rationale behind the debate on Vande Mataram, she said, "Vande Mataram is alive in every part of the country, there can be no debate on it", adding, "Why are we having a debate on Vande Mataram?"

ALSO READ: Parliament Winter Session: BJP MP Claims Rahul, Priyanka Gandhi Skipped 'Vande Mataram' Debate Due To 'Sense Of Guilt'

- She accused the government of debating the issue to divert the attention of the public. She said, "People of the country are not happy, they are surrounded by problems, and govt is not finding a solution to them."

- "Govt wants us to keep delving in the past because it does not want to look at the present and future," said Priyanka.

- She further slammed PM Modi, saying that his self-confidence is increasing with each passing day. She said, "Modi is not the PM he used to be, his self-confidence is decreasing; his policies are weakening the country."

ALSO READ: PM Modi Says Nehru 'Investigated' Vande Mataram After Jinnah's Opposition, Slams Congress In Parliament

-The Congress MP also dismissed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's claim that former PM Jawaharlal Nehru had written to Subhash Chandra Bose allegedly saying the origins of Vande Mataram may incite Muslims. She stated that the Prime Minister had selectively quoted from the letter during his address.

"The so-called objection against the remaining stanzas of Vandra Mataram was manufactured by the communalists," she added.

-Defending Nehru after fierce attacks from PM Modi, Priyanka said, "Nehru has been in jail for 12 years, the same time span that PM Modi has been the Prime Minister for. You keep criticising me. But, if he hadn't created the ISRO, there wouldn't have been a Mangalyaan, how would the government have managed to contain coronavirus, if he hadn't started the AIIMs."