BJP hits back, says Cong still cannot accept Modi as popularly-elected leader

New Delhi: Hitting back after the Congress attacked Narendra Modi for his dig at his predecessor Manmohan Singh, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said it still shows reluctance in recognising Modi as a popularly-elected prime minister and believes that only it has the mandate to rule the country.

Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said Singh had called demonetisation an exercise in plunder and loot and Modi was only replying to it as the whole saga of the UPA government had been that of plunder and loot.

Fun, pun and satire are part of parliamentary debate and the Congress should have heard the Prime Minister in full as per the parliamentary convention, he said, alleging "abuses" were hurled at him by the Opposition during 15 hours of debate in the Rajya Sabha on the Motion of Thanks to the President's Address.

Congress staged a walkout from the House protesting against Modi's remarks.

"There is still some lurking impression among Congress leaders that only they have the mandate to rule the country and no one else. There is still a reluctance to recognise Narendra Modi as a popularly elected Prime Minister.

"The Prime Minister in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha has repeatedly said that he has acknowledged from the Red Fort the contribution of all prime ministers to India. Congress should have heard the Prime Minister in full as per the parliamentary convention," Prasad told PTI.

"Fun, pun and satire are part of parliamentary debate. Manmohan Singh had called demonetisation plunder and loot, and the Prime Minister was replying to it. The whole saga of the UPA itself has been that of plunder and loot," he said.