NEW DELHI: In a hard-hitting reply in Lok Sabha to the motion of thanks to the President's address, Prime Minister Narendra Modi came out all guns blazing at the Congress and the allegations that the opposition parties have levelled against the NDA government. Modi compared the work under his "55-month" rule to the Congress' record of "55 years" in power, while making a re-election pitch in what was likely his last speech in the House before the general election.

With Congress president Rahul Gandhi constantly targeting his government for alleged corruption in the Rafale deal, he claimed that the opposition party wanted the transaction cancelled as it was batting for another company. "You do not want the Air Force to be strong. With which company are you siding? At whose behest you have been speaking so?" he asked, charging that middlemen were always part of defence deals when Congress was in power. "Some chacha or mama (uncle) were part of one deal or another," he said.

Top Quotes from PM Modi's speech

  • Our friends in the Congress see things in two time periods. BC- Before Congress, when nothing happened. AD- After dynasty- where everything happened.

  • In hating Modi, the Opposition has begun to hate the nation. That is why their leaders go to London and do press conferences to show India in bad light.

  • Think about it, Congress imposed Emergency, but Modi is destroying institutions. Congress insults Army, calls the Army Chief a Gunda but Modi is destroying institutions. Congress leaders create stories that Indian Army is doing a coup…but Modi is destroying institutions.

  • Congress questions the EC and EVM but Modi is destroying institutions. Congress bullies the judiciary but Modi is destroying institutions. Congress calls Planning Commission a bunch of jokers…but Modi is destroying institutions.

  • The phone banking of the UPA did wonders for the friends of their leaders. Due to such favouritism, our banking system witnessed many problems. During the CWG 2010, our players were playing hard to win medals for India. But, for Congress, Commonwealth Games were an opportunity to boost personal wealth of a few in the Party.

  • I want to say it on the floor of the Parliament that the Indian National Congress does not want our armed forces to be strong. They do not want our security apparatus to be strong. Which companies are they bidding for that they are acting so shamefully.

  • People who have fled the country are crying on Twitter that 'I had left with Rs 9,000 crore but my assets of Rs 13000 crore have been seized

  • I assure you, those who have looted the nation will continue to be scared of Narendra Modi

  • The people of India have seen the work a Government with a full majority can do. They have seen the work of NDA. They do not want a 'Maha milawat' Government of those who assembled in Kolkata.

  • Informal sector accounts for 85-90 per cent while the formal sector provides only 10-15 per cent employment in the country. In 15 months till November 2018, 1.8 crore people got enrolled in the Employees Provident Fund for the first time. Of these 64 per cent were below 28 years of age.

  • As many as 65 lakh employees were part of NPS system in 2014 which has increased to 1.2 crore by October 2018. About 6.35 lakh new professionals have filed income tax returns in the last four years.

  • 36 lakh new large trucks/commercial vehicles, 1.5 crore passenger vehicles and 27 lakh new autos were sold.  1.25 crore opportunities were created in hotel industry, 1.5 crore in tourism, besides a large number of jobs have been created by cab aggregators and through Mudra scheme.