New Delhi: Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi has launched a stinging attack in the Lok Sabha on Prime Minister Narendra Modi accusing him of releasing Pakistan from a small “cage” in which it was put after the 26/11 attacks by his sudden visit to Lahore and bringing a “fair and lovely” scheme to launder blackmoney.

He also rapped Modi’s silence on the JNU row, especially the attack on journalists and teachers in the court. In acerbic remarks on his style of functioning, he said Modi did not listen to anyone’s opinion, including his ministers and party MPs, on issues like his visit to Pakistan and the Naga accord.

Appealing to the prime minister to reach out to the Opposition, Gandhi made it clear that the opposition does not consider the government as an “enemy” and “does not hate you”. Taking the floor in the Lok Sabha during the debate on the motion of thanks to President’s address, Rahul, in a speech that was often interrupted by the BJP members accused Modi of “single handedly destroying” six years of UPA work to put Pakistan into a small cage after 26/11 terror strikes, by visiting Pakistan. He charged the Prime Minister with “releasing” Pakistan from a “cage” for which the UPA had invested thousands of hours of hard work and all-round consultations. “The work done by the UPA has made us all proud. We conducted Panchayat elections, created self-help groups, which generated employment. We had broken the back of insurgency in Kashmir completely. “And what did the Prime Minister do? He decided to have a cup of tea with Nawaz Sharif without any vision. He decided to take a detour to Pakistan. Just like the Naga Accord. He did not bother to consult anyone…the people in intelligence, the diplomats. “Perhaps he did not even talk to (External Affairs Minister) Sushmaji (Swaraj). Only his opinion matters. He single handedly destroyed the six years of work done by the UPA,” Gandhi said. — PTI