Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for claiming that no major blasts had taken place in the country since 2014.

Naming a few blasts including the Pulwama terror attacks, Gandhi said there had been as many as 942 major bombings over the past five years adding that the “PM needs to open his ears and listen”.

The PM says since 2014 the sounds of blasts can’t be heard in India. Phulwama…

Pathankot..

Uri…

Gadchiroli….

and 942 other major bombings since 2014. The PM needs to open his ears and listen. https://t.co/gj1ngrZm5i — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) May 1, 2019

The remarks come in the wake of an IED blast triggered by Naxals in Maharashtra’s Gadchroli district earlier on Wednesday which left 16 people dead including 15 security personnel.

The Naxals triggered an improvised explosive device (IED) to blow up the police vehicle on the Kurkheda-Korchi road in Gadchiroli when a team of the C-60 commandoes, an anti-Naxal unit, was patrolling the area.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had strongly condemned the “despicable” attack on the security personnel, adding that the perpetrators of the attack will not be spared.

Last week, Congress leader P Chidambaram said the prime minister has said once again that there were no bomb blasts during his five-year tenure.

“Is it due to memory loss or due to a compulsive habit,” Chidambaram asked in a tweet.

He also posted a list of blasts in Mohra, Dantewada, Palamu, Aurangabad, Koraput, Sukma, Awapalli, Chhattisgarh and said “will someone please read to the PM” the partial list of major bomb blasts.

Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera also slammed the Modi government alleging that “fake chest thumping” characterises the BJP-led government’s narrative towards national security.

He hit out at the Modi government over the Maoist attack and said that despite its “tall talk” no lessons from Pulwama are learnt.

“The Congress strongly condemns this mindless and despicable act, and pays homage to their martyrdom and their sacrifice will not go in vain,” Khera said addressing a press conference here.

“In the past five years, fake chest thumping, hyperbole, empty slogans and acronym building have characterised Modi government’s narrative towards our national and internal security,” he said.

Giving the figures of the attack on the security forces across the country by the Maoists, Khera said in the last five years, 1,086 Maoist attacks have taken place in which 391 jawans and 582 civilians have been killed.

“Will Prime Minister Modi take responsibility about the growing menace of Maoism?” he asked.

(With agency inputs)