New Delhi, December 26: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday hit back at the Congress over Rahul Gandhi's comment that there was "no democracy" in India. After launching the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) SEHAT scheme for the residents of Jammu and Kashmir, PM Modi targeted the Congress as Panchayat, and Municipal elections are not being conducted in Puducherry until now even after the Supreme Court's order.

The Prime Minister said, "Even after Supreme Court has directed that Panchayati and municipal elections should be conducted in Puducherry, the elections are not being conducted there. Those who keep on teaching me lessons on democracy are the ones who are running their government there." PM Narendra Modi Launches AB-PMJAY SEHAT Scheme For Jammu And Kashmir; Know All About The Health Insurance Scheme.

Statement by PM Narendra Modi:

PM Modi added that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) broke alliance with the PDP in Jammu and Kashmir so that panchayat election should be held in the union territory and people be given their due rights to choose their representatives. The Prime Minister stated that Jammu and Kashmir had won Mahatma Gandhi's vision of 'gram swaraj' and the people of J&K voted for strengthening democracy. DDC Election Results 2020: PAGD Sweeps Kashmir, BJP Holds Ground in Jammu.

On Thursday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi alleged that there is no democracy in India. He added that democracy exists only in imagination and not in reality in the country. The grand old party staged protests at the Congress headquarters on December 24. However, they were prevented from marching towards the Rashtrapati Bhavan in protest against the recently enacted farm laws.

In the recently concluded, DDC elections, the BJP emerged as the single largest party. However, the People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD), an amalgam of seven mainstream parties including National Conference and PDP bagged 110 seats. The saffron party won 75 seats.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 26, 2020 02:31 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).