Congress says Modi inaugurated projects begun by UPA

New Delhi, Sep 23 (IANS) The Congress party on Saturday slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for claiming that he inaugurates projects for which he has laid the foundation stone, saying that this is "not possible in a democracy" and listed several major projects begun by the UPA which Modi inaugurated.

"I want to make a humble request to the Prime Minister that in democracy a government lays the foundation stone of a project and then the other government inaugurates that, as there is no time boundary," Congress leader Rajiv Shukla told reporters here.

Referring to Prime Minister's remarks on Friday in Varanasi after inaugurating over 17 projects and laying the foundation stone of six other projects during his two-day visit to his parliamentary constituency, Shukla said, "What PM said yesterday (Friday) that he inaugurates the schemes that he launches, according to me it is not possible."

Citing examples of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government's projects inaugurated by Modi, Shukla said, "Projects like Jammu-Katra rail link, rail line for Meghalaya, Puri Hydro Electric project, India's largest tunnel in Jammu and Kashmir, Kudankulam nuclear power plant, Kochi metro, Mumbai trans harbour metro link line, India's longest river bridge in Assam on Brahmaputra, Sardar Sarovar Project and Narmada valley project were begun by the UPA under then Prime MInister Manmohan Singh."

He also said the Bullet train project agreement was signed by Manmohan Singh.

He said Modi got the opportunity to inaugurate these projects as the government at the Centre changed in 2014.

Slamming Modi, the Congress Rajya Sabha leader said, "Saying that he inaugurates the projects for which he has laid the foundation stone is not correct."

He also said that the visa on arrival, MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) and Aadhaar schemes were initiated by the UPA government.