Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused the Congress party of “insulting” the nation with remarks during foreign visits by its leaders.

PM Modi indirectly attacked Congress MP Rahul Gandhi for his speech criticising the central government during his recent US visit.

“The spirit of patriotism has died in today’s Congress. The ghost of hatred has entered today’s Congress. See the language of the Congress people on foreign land, their anti-national agenda, talking about breaking the society, insulting the culture of the country — this is the Congress that is being run by the people of ‘Tukde Tukde Gang’ and ‘Urban Naxals’. it even has problems with Ganesh puja.

We saw how the Congress government in Karnataka put the Ganesh idol in police van,” PM Modi said during his address at National PM Vishwakarma Programme in Maharashtra’s Wardha.

“Congress means lies, deception and dishonesty. They had promised to waive off the loans of farmers in Telangana but now the farmers are wandering around to get their loans waived off. Today it is not the same old Congress. Today, if there is the most dishonest and corrupt party in the country, then that party is the Congress Party. If there is any most corrupt family in the country, then it is the royal family of Congress,” PM Modi said.

The Prime Minister also accused the Congress party of “deliberately” not letting vulnerable groups grow and said that the NDA government eliminated this “anti-backward” thinking.

“Congress and its allies deliberately did not let the SC, ST and OBC people move forward. We have eliminated this anti-Dalit and anti-backward thinking of Congress from the government system. The figures of the last year show that SC, ST and OBC communities are taking advantage of the Vishwakarma Yojana,” he said.

“If the previous governments had taken care of Vishwakarma brothers, what a great service would have been done to this society,” he added.

PM Modi also hit out at the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra and blamed it of pushing the cotton farmers into “misery.”

“For decades in Maharashtra, the Congress and later the Maha Vikas Aghadi government, instead of making cotton the strength of the farmers of Maharashtra, pushed them into misery, did politics in the name of farmers and kept indulging in corruption… When Devendra Fadnavis’s government was formed in 2014, the work of textile park started in Amravati,” he said.

He also highlighted the PM Mega Integrated Textiles Region and Apparel Park in Amravati and said, “Today the foundation stone of PM Mitra Park has also been laid in Amravati. Today’s India is working to take its textile industry to the top in the global market. The country’s goal is to reinstate the thousands of years old glory of India’s textile sector.”

He also congratulated all beneficiaries of PM Vishwakarma Yojana and called the scheme as a roadmap to utilize India’s thousands of years old skills to develop India.

“On this day in 1932, Mahatma Gandhi had started a campaign against untouchability. This celebration of the completion of one year of Vishwakarma Yojana will give new energy to our resolutions of developed India. I congratulate all the people associated with Vishwakarma Yojana, all the beneficiaries across the country on this occasion,” he said.

“Vishwakarma Yojana is not just a government program. The basic spirit of Vishwakarma Yojana is- respect, strength and prosperity! That means respect for traditional skills, empowerment of artisans and prosperity in the lives of Vishwakarma brothers! That means respect for traditional skills, empowerment of artisans and prosperity in the lives of Vishwakarma brothers! This is our goal,” he said.

Speaking on occasion, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde exuded confidence in India becoming the world’s most powerful country under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“Under the leadership of Modi ji, the dream of 140 crore people to make the country a superpower will be fulfilled. In the coming years, our Indian government will strengthen India’s position in the list of the world’s most powerful countries, we are confident of this. Modi Sahab had said that the 21st century is India’s century; we also say the same because the captain of the country is Narendra Modi,” CM Shinde said.

The National ‘PM Vishwakarma’ Programme marks one year of progress under PM Vishwakarma. PM Modi earlier visited an exhibition organised on the sidelines of National ‘PM Vishwakarma’ Programme in Wardha and interacted with the beneficiaries at the exhibition.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis, Ajit Pawar and Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and MoS Education Jayant Chaudhary were present on the occasion.

During the programme, the Prime Minister released certificates and loans to PM Vishwakarma beneficiaries. Symbolising the tangible support extended to artisans under this scheme, he distributed credit under PM Vishwakarma to 18 beneficiaries under 18 trades. As a tribute to their legacy and enduring contribution to society, he also released a commemorative stamp dedicated to mark one year of progress under PM Vishwakarma.

He also laid the foundation stone of PM Mega Integrated Textile Regions and Apparel (PM MITRA) Park in Maharashtra’s Amravati. The 1000-acre park is being developed by the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) as the State Implementation Agency.

PM Modi also launched the “Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar Women Startup Scheme.” Under the scheme, early-stage support will be given to women-led startups in Maharashtra. Financial assistance up to Rs 25 lakh will be provided.