'More you throw 'keechad', the better the lotus will bloom': PM Modi tells opposition amid Adani row

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday told the opposition parties that the more they attack his party the more his party will grow. "I want to tell these MPs (Opposition MPs)...the more you throw 'keechad', the better the lotus will bloom," the Prime Minister said during a Motion of Thanks on the President's address in Rajya Sabha.

The opposition leaders have been asking the government to form a Joint Parliamentary Committee to probe the allegations levelled against Adani Group by US-based short seller Hindenburg Research.

On Thursday, the opposition MPs raised slogans of "Modi-Adani bhai-bhai" in Rajya Sabha. They stormed the well of the House during the Prime Minister's reply in the Upper House.

During the speech, the Prime Minister targeted Congress and said it always gave slogans to remove poverty but did nothing to remove poverty. "They (Congress) used to say ‘Gareebi Hatao’ but did nothing for over 4 decades. While we work hard to meet the expectations and aspirations of the people of the country," he said. 

For decades, he said, the development of tribal communities was neglected. "We gave top priority to their welfare...people of the country are repeatedly rejecting Congress. People are watching them and punishing them," he said.

PM Modi also attacked the Congress for misusing power to remove governments in states. He said the grand old party removed many regional leaders in states and converted the Raj Bhavan into Congress' office.