NEW DELHI: Congress President Sonia Gandhi was today unimpressed with the President's Address, which laid the roadmap of the Narendra Modi government, saying there was "nothing new" in it and talked about only some revamped UPA policies.
"There is nothing new. These are only revamping some of old UPA policies and presenting it," she said when asked about President Pranab Mukherjee's address to the joint sitting of Parliament.
Asked about the sabbatical given to the Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi, she said that he has been "given a few weeks. He needs some time."
Asked whether he has been given some time to reflect on recent events and future course of the party as has been told to media, the Congress President merely said, "Well, the reason is what you have been told."
Party sources had yesterday said that the Congress Vice President was "granted leave of absence for a few weeks after which he will return and resume his active participation in the affairs of the Congress party".
Former Union Minister and senior Congress leader Veerappa Moily was also critical of the government.
"High on rhetoric, no performance, they have just demonstrated their power to communicate to the people.
And where communication is concerned, this government is good. But people of the country expected that there will be some honesty this time," he told reporters when asked about the President's address.
He further observed that the President had been "unnecessarily dragged into this kind of rhetoric."
Asked about the amendments in the Land Acquisition Act, he said they were "anti-farmer."