From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru

Bengaluru, May 23: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who travelled 18 different countries during the first year of his rule and spent almost six weeks in globe-trotting, is a "Super Gagan Vihari," said senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh.

Addressing a news conference in Bengaluru on Saturday, the former Union Minister said the BJP-led NDA government had "nothing concrete to show or brag about" for its one year in office except the frequent foreign trips of Modi, bypassing even the External Affairs Minister SushmaSwaraj.

Ramesh said Mody is not just "Gagan Vihari" but "Super Gagan Vihari."

"We have nothing against (Modi’s) foreign travels per se," he said answering questions.
But, he said the Congress party definitely opposes the Prime Minister when he takes domestic politics abroad.

"As far as the Congress party is concerned, we firmly believe that the Prime Minister has every right to go abroad and visit foreign countries. The Prime Minister being the head of the government must develop personal rapport with world leaders," Ramesh said.

However, the former union minister said Modi’s attempts to take domestic politics abroad must be condemned forthwith.

"The NDA Prime Minister AtalBihari Vajpayee nor Indira Gandhi, V P Singh or H D Deve Gowda never discussed domestic politics during their foreign tours," he said pointing out that Modi is the first and the only Prime Minister to take domestic politics to aboard.

"Whether it is Canada, US, China, South Korea, France, Modi continues to be on election mode. That is our primary objection," Ramesh said.

The Congress leader said Dr Manmohan Singh never attacked domestic political opponents abroad, and asked Modi to adhere to commit international commitments."

Modi should not take domestic politics aboard, he said.

He said the major failure of NDA government was Modi’s bypassing parliament and rarely attending the parliamentary sessions.

Out of 53 bills tabled, only five bills were referred to standing committees, he said and asserted that the Congress party was committed to protecting the interests of farmers both inside and outside parliament.

Key posting such as the Chief Information Commissioner has not appointed during the last eight months and wondered whether it was a deliberate attempt to defeat the Right to Information Act.

Instead of maximum governance and minimum government, the Modi government demonstrated "maximum arrogance and one man government," he said.

He said Modi, who had opposed Goods and Service Tax when he was the Chief Minister of Gujarat, has now became a champion of GST.

"Modi is master salesman of old schemes such as Nirmal Bharat (Now Swachch Bharat), financial inclusion (now Jan Dhan)," the Congress leader said.

"He (Modi) proved to be a skilful repackage, market strategist and salesman" Ramesh said adding that the NDA Government betrayed the 2014 mandate given by the people.