Sonia Gandhi: PM Modi speaks like an actor but says the wrong lines

UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday said that she agrees with Prime Minister Narendra Modi that he is a big orator and speaks like an actor, but wherever he goes, he speaks the wrong things. "Modi takes pride in his ability to deliver good speeches. I completely agree that he is a good orator and speaks like an actor... But the country is surprised that wherever he goes, he speaks wrong things," she said.

"He takes liberty with history, uses our freedom fighters like pawns of chess for his political interests. Does it behove a Prime Minister? Have you seen a Prime Minister earlier who resorts to empty talk but stays quiet on real issues, does not speak a word on the real issues," she added.

"Modiji is besotted with Congress-free India. Leave Congress-free India, he cannot even tolerate anyone in front of him," said Gandhi.

Claiming that the Modi government over the past four years had carried out only one task, of ending the good works of the UPA government, she accused him of speaking lies and distorting historical facts. She said that ending corruption was among tall promises of Modi but he had failed to appoint a Lokpal. Gandhi also targeted Modi over allegations concerning Reddy brothers and about spurt in turnover of a company linked to BJP chief Amit Shah's son Jay Shah.

Sonia Gandhi said the Congress government in Karnataka had made it "number one" state in the country, and the Siddaramaiah government had waived off loans of 22 lakh farmers when they faced difficulties. She said that due to policies of the state government, Karnataka is among the top three exporting states in the country for fruits, vegetables and spices.

Lauding the Siddaramaiah government for its initiatives concerning the poor and the farmers, she urged people to defeat the BJP over its "jumlas".

"BJP people come, make false promises, create hatred and return. I know that you will unmask each of their jumlas and form a Congress government with clear majority," Gandhi said in her brief speech.