'Why don't you keep Nehru as your surname,' PM Modi asks Gandhi family in Rajya Sabha

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday hit back at the Congress for objecting to the names of certain government schemes and the insertion of some Sanskrit words. He said he heard some people had problems with the names of schemes of government and Sanskrit words in the names. 

"I read in a report that 600 government schemes were in the Gandhi-Nehru family's name...I don't understand why people from their generation don't keep Nehru as their surname, what's the fear and shame?" PM Modi asked during a Motion of Thanks on the President's address in Rajya Sabha.

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

During his hour-long speech, PM Modi slammed Congress for various issues like corruption, slow economic growth, and misuse of power to target regional governments. He said the grand old party misused Article 356. "Which party and people in power misused Article 356? Elected governments were toppled 90 times, who were those who did that?" he asked.

"A prime minister used Article 356 (President's rule) 50 times and that name is Indira Gandhi. In Kerala communist government was elected which wasn't liked by Pandit Nehru and was toppled," PM Modi said.

In Tamil Nadu too, he said, the governments of veterans like MGR and Karunanidhi were dismissed by the Congress people. "Sharad Pawar's government was toppled too. We have seen what happened with NTR when he was in the US for treatment and attempts were made to topple his government," Modi said continuing his attack on Congress.

During the address, the Prime Minister highlighted various flagship schemes and steps to boost the security and economic growth of the country. Today, he said more than 350 private companies have come into the defence sector. "Our country is doing exports worth almost Rs 1 lakh crore in this sector. From retail to tourism, every sector has grown," he added.