Modi Is PM Due to Congress’ Contribution to Democracy: DK Shivakumar
"Congress has a long history. Even the PM knows that without Congress this country wouldn't have seen democracy. This is a party which has given democrac" he said
Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Friday claimed it was the Congress that gave India its democracy and that Prime Minister Narendra Modi held office because of the party's contribution.
He was responding to a question on Modi's remarks that the Congress had been desperately trying for several years to launch its leader Rahul Gandhi.
"Congress has a long history. Even the PM knows that without Congress this country wouldn't have seen democracy. This is a party which has given democracy. If at all he (Modi) is the PM today, it is due to the Congress Party's contribution to India's leadership and democracy," Shivakumar told reporters.
"One should not forget the root. If you forget the root, you will not get the fruit," he said.
Modi on Thursday had hit out at the opposition Congress, saying that while the world was searching for a "new order", some people were dreaming of "disorder" in India.
In a direct attack on the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, Modi had said the Congress made more failed attempts to launch its leader than India made rocket launches from Sriharikota in a year.
Responding to the BJP's criticism of Rahul Gandhi's repeated foreign trips, and its allegation that he returned from them and tried to destabilise the government, Shivakumar said the Congress leader was invited abroad by political leaders, business leaders and universities.
"He is a leader. Many foreign political leaders, business leaders and universities request him. He is a leader whom the entire world is looking at," he said.