Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday took a dig at Congress while replying on Motion of Thanks on President’s Address amidst slogan-shouting by Opposition MPs in Rajya Sabha.

He accused Congress of creating hurdles in development and said that India lost six decades while smaller countries progressed.

PM Modi praised the current government and said that his government’s policies are focused on finding permanent solutions for issues being faced by the common man unlike the Opposition. “Our government has extended potable water supply to 11 crore houses in the last 3-4 years against only 3 crore pre-2014,” he added.

“Congress only engaged in ‘tokenism’, never tried to find permanent solutions to problems confronting country,” Modi said in Rajya Sabha.

The Opposition, however, kept disrupting PM’s speech demanding JPC probe into allegations against Adani Group. Slogans like “Modi-Adani bhai bhai” were raised in the Parliament amid his speech.

Modi slammed Congress for not working for tribals and rejecting voices of small and marginal farmers. “I would not have to work so hard in third decade of 21st century, if they had worked for tribals with good intentions,” said Modi.

Modi also highlighted his government’s pledge to achieve 100 per cent saturation in all schemes and said they will put an end to all kinds of appeasement.”We have decided to achieve saturation levels in schemes to benefit everyone during ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Kaal’, this is true secularism,” added Modi.

The debate on the motion of thanks to the President’s Address in Rajya Sabha concluded on Wednesday.

President Droupadi Murmu addressed the joint sitting of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha on January 31, the first day of the Budget Session.

The Opposition has criticised the President’s address.

The Opposition has been regularly demanding a discussion on the Hindenburg report on the Adani Enterprises and other companies of the Adani Group. They have demanded the Prime Minister’s response on the issue.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi replied to the motion of thanks in Lok Sabha on Wednesday, saying that President gave direction to the nation in her visionary address to both Houses and inspired the ‘Nari Shakti’ of the country. She gave a detailed blueprint of ‘Sankalp se Siddhi’ of the nation, he said.

He also talked about the work done by his government and said that there is positivity and hope towards India at a global level and the reforms were not carried out of compulsion but by conviction.

He said India is the mother of democracy, constructive criticism is vital for a strong democracy and criticism is like a ‘shuddhi yagya’.