'Nehru was such a great person, why not use his surname?': PM Modi's swipe at the Gandhis in Rajya Sabha

"If we miss out on mentioning Nehru anywhere, they (Congress) get upset. Nehru was such a great person, then why does none of them use the Nehru surname? What is the shame in using the Nehru name?" PM Modi questioned in Rajya Sabha, responding to a debate on the President's speech.

Jawaharlal Nehru is the great-grandfather of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who alleged PM Modi of crony capitalism in his speech in parliament on Tuesday amid allegations involving billionaire Gautam Adani's conglomerate.

Congress and other opposition parties have been attacking the BJP-led Centre ever since American short-seller Hindenburg Research accused Adani Group of accounting fraud and stock manipulation.

Speaking amid non-stop "probe Adani" chants and hooting by the Opposition over the allegations, PM Modi said the Congress highlighted its own controversies while pointing fingers at his government.

"They [Congress] say we keep troubling states, but they have toppled elected state governments 90 times. One Congress PM used Article 356 fifty times to dismiss elected state governments. That was Indira Gandhi," the Prime Minister said.

"This country is not the property of any family."

Even as the Opposition continued sloganeering, PM Modi said, "The lotus (BJP's symbol) will bloom no matter how much mud you throw at us."

The members of the Opposition reached the centre of the House, hollering demands a Joint Parliamentary Committee investigation into the allegations linked to the Adani Group.

"The conduct and tone of some members is disappointing for the entire country. I will tell such people - Jitna keechad uchhaloge, kamal utna hi khilega (the more mud you throw at us, the more the lotus will bloom). For helping the lotus bloom and flourish, we will thank the opposition," PM Modi said.