The Congress, PM Narendra Modi said, should introspect, not blame others

Highlights Congress could neither handle victory, nor accept defeat: PM Modi

PM Modi said Congress should not claim "democracy has lost" upon defeat

Rahul Gandhi lost Amethi to Smriti Irani but won from Kerala's Wayanad

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, for the second day in a row, kept the focus snugly on the Congress, berating it over issues ranging from voting machines, Citizens' list in Assam and the passing of bills in Rajya Sabha. Amid the crisis in the Congress over Rahul Gandhi's resignation from the party chief's post, he even mocked it over its handling of victory and defeat.

"The Congress neither could handle its victory, nor accept its defeat. That is from where their learning must begin," the Prime Minister said in parliament.

He then went into specifics. "You (Congress) just won elections in three large states... but look at the kind of news that are coming from there," he said, indicating reports of spiraling factionalism from Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh since the Lok Sabha elections.

The Congress, he said, should introspect, not blame others or claim that "democracy has lost".

Calling such statements "distressing" and "shameful", he said, "Tell me, did India lose in Wayanad? Did India lose in Raebareli? What are they trying to say? That a loss for the Congress is a loss for India? Is India Congress, and Congress India? There is a limit to being arrogant."

Rahul Gandhi, though he lost family turf Amethi to Smriti Irani, has won from Kerala's Wayanad. His mother Sonia Gandhi had retained Raebareli - the party's overall score was 52, marginally better that the all-time low of 44 seats it won in 2014.

The party was also hammered over the opposition questions on voting machines.

"There was a time when we (the BJP) were also reduced to just two members in Parliament. We were even made fun of in the House... But we accepted the result for what it was. But we had the drive in us pick ourselves up from those days of gloom and rebuild," he said.

PM Modi even said the party's electoral losses were leading it to sarcasm and cynicism. "Everything is made fun of. Yoga is made fun of, Make in India is made fun of, etc... this shows a very poor attitude and poor outlook. Instead of behaving like this, the attitude should be to outperform us," he said.

He shredded the recent remark of Ghulam Nabi Azad "wanting Old India back", pointing out the many lacunae under the Congress governments, and took on the party over its stance on a 24-year-old's death in Jharkhand after being beaten up by a mob.

"We all are sad by what has happened. We must not politicize it. Also, to blame and insult the entire state for it is really not the right thing to do. There are many reputable people from Jharkhand," he said.