Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke in the Lok Sabha today on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s address.
During his speech, he took plenty of potshots at the Congress party. He said that, for the Congress party ‘BC’ implies ‘Before Congress’ and ‘AD’ means ‘After Dynasty’. He also elucidated the various achievements of his government and rued that the Congress party often ends up defaming India in their efforts to criticise him. He said that the Congress was doing press conferences in London and demeaning country there.
Highlighting the NDA government’s achievements, he said, “In the past four and a half years, India has become the 6th largest economy from its 11th position. When we reached 11th position, then people, who cannot even be seen in opposition now, praised themselves. They felt proud on reaching the 11th place, why are they saddened when we have reached 6th?”
The Prime Minister said that the country is now progressing in leaps and bounds in every sector.
Mocking the Congress party further, Modi said that the party has lost its ability to hear the truth. “Ulta Chor Chowkidaar ko daatey,” the Prime Minister remarked referring to the allegations made by the Opposition that his government was destroying institutions. He elaborated on the Congress’ long history of undermining the institutions of the state.
Prime Minister Modi also referred to The Sunday Guardian report which claimed that the Congress party planted fake news in the media of the Indian Army planning coup. He said it was shameful that the party was defaming the country’s Army.
The Opposition has often spread the ‘Faulty-EVMs’ narrative. Narendra Modi also targeted the Congress for their attacks against the Election Commission. He also said that the party was threatening the Judiciary. He also spoke about the Congress party’s long tradition of dismissing state governments on a whim. Targeting Rahul Gandhi, Modi referred to the time when the scion of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty tore apart an ordinance approved by Manmohan Singh’s cabinet.
Modi also remarked that the Congress party could not digest the fact that a person from a humble background was sitting on a seat which they believe is the right of a particular family. During the entire speech, Prime Minister Modi constantly harped on the fact that the Congress party is scared. “Why are you so scared?”
Senior Congress leader Mallikarjuna Kharge had to bear the brunt of Narendra Modi’s sharp wit. “Khargeji is a decent person,” he remarked, “but on every issue he has dissent. What is the compulsion?”
Targeting the Mahagathbandhan, Modi called it a ‘MahaMilavat’ coalition. He stated that “these people meet at Kolkata but won’t be able to see each other’s faces in Kerala.” He said the citizens of India will never elect this ‘MahaMilavat’ coalition.
Vijay Mallya also found a special mention in Modi’s speech. He said, “Those who have fled the country are now crying that ‘I had run off with only Rs. 9,000 crore, but Modi has seized property of Rs 13,000 crore’. You allowed them to loot, we framed laws and made them pay.”
The Congress party undermined India’s defence preparedness, Narendra Modi said. “You committed criminal negligence and the nation will never forget you for it.” In a scathing attack, Modi said that the Congress party doesn’t want Indian Armed Forces to be strong. He said, “I want to say it on the floor of the Parliament that the Indian National Congress does not want our armed forces to be strong. They do not want our security apparatus to be strong. Which companies are they bidding for that they are acting so shamefully?”
Earlier, Arun Jaitley had hinted that Congress was opposing the Rafale deal on the behest of Eurofighter, while replying to Congress allegations over the Rafale deal in Lok Sabha.
Narendra Modi further alleged that not a single defence deal has gone through in Independent India where a middleman wasn’t involved.
In an interesting development, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also attacked FCRA NGOs and said that the Congress party did not do enough to tackle these institutions who were undermining India’s interests after receiving foreign money. He further asserted that his government has cancelled the registrations of 20,000 such NGO’s and “the number could very well increase in the future.”
Invoking Mahatma Gandhi, Modi said that he was only trying to fulfil Gandhi’s vision of a ‘Congress Mukt Bharat’. He was referring to Mahatma Gandhi’s proposal for dissolution of the Congress party after the independence of India. Invoking Ambedkar, he said the Dalit leader was “a visionary when he asserted that joining Congress was like committing suicide.”
Prime Minister Modi also attacked the Congress over the issue of price rise. “Price rise and Congress are a team. The NDA government has worked to keep prices under check. Today 99 items are below the 18 per cent GST slab. Education loans have also become cheaper,” he said.
On the accusations of job crisis against his government, Modi said that 6.35 lakh professionals had emerged over the past 4 years and they were helping provide employment to others as well.
In a further attack, Narendra Modi said, “Arrogance got them down to 44 from 400. Commitment to the nation and our hardwork got us from two to 282.” In his concluding remark, he said that those who have looted the country, they have to be scared. “Darna Zaroori Hai.”
