BJP has broken the idea of India, hurt the nation's soul: Sam Pitroda

The BJP government has "broken the idea" of India and has "hurt the soul" of the country, Congress leader Sam Pitroda said Saturday.

Pitroda, a long-time Gandhi family adviser, also attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging that he was "lying to the country day in and day out".

"Today we are fighting one of the biggest battle of ideas," the technocrat-turned-politician said while addressing the Congress Gyan Samvad here.

"When Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, 'India did nothing for 70 years', I want to remind him and his colleagues, 'India did hell of a lot'. I feel sorry for you that you don't see it, that you don't respect the talent and hardwork a large number of people put in, and it's an insult to our own country," Pitroda said.

Pitroda recalled that when he said something about the Balakot airstrike, the prime minister had started tweeting and ministers started speaking.

"Congress leaders started calling me saying, 'What did you say', and I said, I said the truth. I ...