PM Modi shortening his speeches as he has nothing to talk about now: Rahul Gandhi

Bengaluru: Taking on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi said on Wednesday that his speech from the ramparts of the Red Fort on the occasion of Independence Day was the shortest out of all as PM had nothing to talk about now.

Rahul said that Congress president Sonia Gandhi was there and she had told him later that "it was a very short speech."

"Mr Modi is lessoning the duration of his speeches as now he has nothing to talk about," he said in Bengaluru.

PM Modi's 56-minute speech yesterday was the shortest of the four times he has addressed the nation. 

He further said that the PM did not tell the people that more than 90 children had died in Gorakhpur due to NDA government's healthcare policies. "I was in Gorakhpur some time ago and I asked the PM to support the hospitals there. He did not respond," he said.

"The PM did not mention yesterday that India today has the highest rate of unemployment it has had in the last eight years," Rahul added.

At the same time, Rahul blamed PM Modi for alienating countries closer to India. 

"When we were in power, all neighboring countries barring Pakistan and China, were favourable towards India. PM has alienated them one by one. And for the first time in history, Russia is selling weapons to Pakistan," he maintained.

"PM is dividing the country. He allows his party people to beat up Dalits, kill minorities and does not condemn it," the Congress VP alleged.

Rahul today launched the Karnataka government's subsidised food canteens 'Indira Canteen' in Bengaluru that would provide breakfast at Rs five and lunch and dinner at a cost of Rs 10.