Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a fresh broadside against the Opposition in Rajya Sabha on Thursday, saying the more "keechad" (dirt) they will fling, the bigger "kamal" (lotus) will bloom.

Amid slogan shouting by MPs from TMC, Congress and other opposition parties from the Well of the House, Modi began replying to the debate on the motion thanking the President for her address to the joint sitting of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha at the start of the Budget Session, and accused the Congress of adopting only "tokenism" to solving problems the country faced.

"Keechad unke pass tha, mere pass gulal. Jo jis ke pass tha, usne diya uchal," Modi quoted Manik Verma's poem in response to the allegations opposition parties levelled on him and his government.

Roughly translated, it means they had dirt and I had 'gulal', whosoever had whatever they flung in the air.

"Jitna keechad uchaloge, kamal utna hee zyada khilega (the more dirt you fling, the bigger kamal - the election symbol of BJP - will bloom)," he said as opposition MPs shouted slogans linking the prime minister to billionaire tycoon Gautam Adani and seeking a joint parliamentary committee probe into allegations levelled by the US short-seller Hindenburg Research.

Opposition parties used the debate on the motion to attack Modi and the government for aiding Adani's phenomenal rise during the last few years.

In his reply, Modi recounted achievements of his governments - from eliminating waiting for getting cooking gas to opening bank accounts for everyone and providing electricity connections.

The effort was to create a brighter future and not look at political gains, he said.

"Some people's behaviour and language are disappointing not just for the House but for the country," he said in oblique reference to the allegations opposition parties levelled on him.

Rajya Sabha was adjourned till 4.30 PM amid sloganeering by MPs from both opposition and treasury benches.

Here are the highlights from PM Modi's speech:

• Country seeing that one is proving heavy on so many: PM Modi points to protesting opposition MPs in Rajya Sabha
• Some states converting 'arthaniti' (economic policy) into 'anarthniti' for political gains: PM's reference to freebies
• Congress created problems for regional leaders of Opposition parties
• We have decided to achieve saturation levels in schemes to benefit everyone during 'Azadi Ka Amrit Kaal', this is true secularism
• Pledge to achieve 100 per cent saturation in all schemes will put an end to all kind of appeasement
• Merely expressing intent doesn't work, what matters is speed, direction and result of developments ushered in
• More than half of the population without banking facilities till 2014, now 48 crore accounts opened in last 9 years
• Rs 27 lakh crore sent to beneficiaries through DBT using 'Jan Dhan Aadhar Mobile' trinity in last few years
• Our govt has extended potable water supply to 11 crore houses in last 3-4 years against only 3 crore pre-2014
• Opposition is busy protesting whereas their acts only help BJP flourish further
• Congress only engaged in 'tokenism', never tried to find permanent solutions to problems confronting country
• Congress created hurdles in development, India lost six decades while smaller countries progressed
• Language, behaviour of some in the House is disappointing for India