BJP terms PM’s speech disappointing, Modi raises infiltration issue

New Delhi : The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Wednesday termed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s Independence Day speech as “disappointing” and lacking direction on issues facing the country, while Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi said he should have specified the policy on infiltration from Bangladesh.

BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar said that prime minister’s speech failed to inspire people.

“It was a disappointing speech… PM’s speech was completely listless and a speech which did not instil new confidence in the nation. The speech did not give any direction on the issues the nation and the people of the country are facing – price rise, inflation, corruption, black money, slowing economy, monsoon deficit and drought. It did not address any of these issues,” he said.

Speaking in Junagadh in Gujarat, Modi said people wanted to know government’s policy towards infiltration from Bangladesh, contending that this was becoming an issue of concern.

Modi also accused the prime minister of dual standards about the ethnic violence in Assam and subsequent violence during a protest rally in Mumbai.

“Why were you silent on Mumbai,” Modi said referring to prime minister’s speech.

He said he heard the speech as a common man and was and was “disappointed”.

“I saw the speech not as a CM but as a common man and found only disappointment in it…What happened to the promises of cheap interest rates for the middle class people to build houses or cheap education loans? If you make promises but don’t keep them, how do you expect the people of India to believe you,” he said.

BJP leader L. K. Advani also raised the issue of ethnic violence in Assam and called upon prime minister to ensure rehabilitation of the displaced people .

“The prime minister, who is elected from Assam, should ensure that the people displaced in the violence are rehabilitated soon,” he said.

BJP president Nitin Gadkari, who unfurled the tricolour at the party’s office in Ahmedabad, said said that prime minister had talked of returning to high growth path but it seemed difficult.

Photo : AFP