PM Modi may have a 56-inch chest but his heart is small: Mallikarjun Kharge

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has "a 56-inch chest, but his heart is small", Congress leader in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said today taking jibe at the PM.

Kharge was reacting to Coal Minister Piyush Goyal's remarks that the Government's target of producing one billion tonne of coal domestically was inspired by the Prime Minister's "56-inch chest".

Participating in a discussion on coal mines bill in the House, Kharge said, "Coal minister says that Modi has 56-inch chest. His chest is of 56 inches but heart is small."

Congress has been sceptical of Goyal's assertion that domestic coal production is targeted to reach one billion tonnes by 2019, considering less output at present.

"I want to tell the honourable member(s) that we won't achieve anything till we think big.... By keeping in mind this 56-inch chest, we have set a target of a one billion tonne of domestic coal production by 2019," the Minister said referring to an MP's remarks about Modi's "56-inch chest".

Modi had referred to the phrase during the Lok Sabha election campaign and since then the opposition has latched onto it to target his government on alleged unfulfilled promises.

The Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Bill, which replaces an ordinance, was brought in the wake of the Supreme Court order cancelling the allocation of 204 coal blocks on September 24 and resetting the agenda for their allocation.

Lok Sabha passed the bill by voice vote.