Modi links caste, dynasty in attack on Oppn, Rahul

Speaking in the Lok Sabha, Modi outlined his vision of Viksit Bharat (developed India), contrasted the record of welfare delivery of his government with that of previous administrations, and listed the ways in which the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) was building the foundation for national progress in the 21st century. He also said that his government worked for santushtikaran (satisfaction) and not tushtikaran (appeasement), and said that while he was currently serving his third term, he’ll continue to work for many more years.

In his reply to the motion of thanks to President Droupadi Murmu’s address to the joint session of Parliament, Modi posed key questions to Gandhi, who had repeatedly attacked the government over its treatment of marginalised castes.

“I want to pose an important question to the citizens through this House — have there ever been three MPs simultaneously from the same family from the SC community? I also ask – have there ever been three MPs simultaneously from the same family belonging to the ST community?” he asked, in a reference to the Gandhi family – Rae Bareli MP Rahul Gandhi and his sister, Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, in the Lok Sabha, and their mother and former Congress chief Sonia Gandhi in the Rajya Sabha.

“The difference between their words and actions are like day and night…look at us, we have strengthened the SC/ST community without triggering any social tensions,” Modi said.

The PM also mocked Gandhi, who has repeatedly raised the demand for a caste census and larger representation for marginalised castes. “For some people, speaking about caste is now a fashion. For the last 30 years, OBC MPs were demanding constitutional status for the OBC Commission. Those who sense benefit in casteism today did not think of the OBC community back then…we granted constitutional status to the OBC Commission.”

During his nearly 95-minute address, Modi repeatedly attacked the leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, who is often seen carrying a copy of the Constitution in his pocket.

“Those who carry a copy of the Constitution in their pockets can’t understand its true importance…It is unfortunate that today some people are speaking the language of ‘urban Naxals’ openly, challenging the Indian state and declaring a battle against it. Those who speak this language neither understand the Constitution nor the unity of the nation,” Modi said.

He was likely referring to Gandhi’s speech at the opening of the new Congress headquarters in Delhi last month. “The BJP and RSS have captured every single institution in this country and we are now fighting the BJP, the RSS and the Indian State itself,” Gandhi said at the time, sparking a controversy.

He criticised the comments made by Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi on President Murmu’s address. “Those who get photo sessions done at the huts of poor people find talk on them boring,” Modi said. Without naming the Congress leaders, he added, “After the President’s address — a woman president, the daughter of a poor family — if you cannot respect her, it is up to you. But what all is being said to insult her? I can understand political frustration but against the President? What is the reason?” he asked.

After the President’s address opened the budget session of Parliament last week, Sonia Gandhi was asked by reporters outside the House about Murmu’s nearly hour-long speech. “The President was getting very tired by the end…She could hardly speak, poor thing,” Sonia Gandhi was heard saying in clips in what appeared to be a reference to how long the address was. Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi described the speech as “boring” in one of the clips. To be sure, the President’s customary address at the start of the budget session is cleared by the Union government.

Modi also took aim at Rahul Gandhi over foreign policy.

“A few people think they don’t appear mature if they don’t speak on foreign policy. They think that they should definitely speak on foreign policy, even if it causes harm to the country,” Modi said, recommending a 2015 book by a former CIA agent that mentions conversations between former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and then US President John F Kennedy. “I would like to tell such people – if they have a real interest in the subject of foreign policy, they should definitely read a book, ‘JFK’s Forgotten Crisis’… When the country was facing several challenges, what was being done in the name of foreign policy at that time has been brought out through this book,” Modi said.

The PM said those who had no connection with ground realities could not understand the pain of the poor. “For five decades, we have heard slogans of Garibi Hatao (eradicate poverty). But it is only our government that helped 25 crore poor people defeat poverty,” he said, in a reference to a popular poll slogan first coined by Indira Gandhi.

He also attacked former PM Rajiv Gandhi, saying a PM who used to chant “21st century” was so far from reality that he was unable to provide for the needs of the 20th century.

He pushed back on allegations that the NDA government didn’t respect the Constitution. “We are people who live the Constitution and imbibe the democratic spirit. When satta (power) is service, then nation-building takes place. When satta (power) becomes an inheritance, then democracy is finished,” he said.

He also asserted that his government saved lakhs of crores of rupees since 2014, and said those who walk with a copy of the Constitution in their pockets made Muslim women suffer due to the practice of triple talaq while his government gave them equal rights by abolishing the practice.

Modi said his government respected the Constitution and democratic norms, and hence, asked the leader of the largest opposition party to join committees and important panels even when there was no formal Leader of the Opposition after the 2014 general elections. He cited different measures, including incorporating the history of all prime ministers in the PM Museum and building the tallest statue of Vallabhbhai Patel to assert his government’s commitment to the Constitution and its spirit. “In Delhi, there are many places where some families have made their own museums. But we believe in democratic spirit, so we made a PM museum for all PMs….we don’t do politics of poison,” he added.

In his speech, Modi rattled off statistics to underline how his government had ended corruption in various schemes, removed fake beneficiaries and healed the wounds of the middle class. He warned young people that some parties were out to cheat them with fake promises that they had no intention of fulfilling.

PM is cut off from people and their needs, said Congress leader and Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi, reacting to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s speech in Parliament on Tuesday.

“I think he is cut off from people and their needs. This is what was felt from his speech,” she said.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor also hit out at PM’s remarks, calling it an “election speech,” keeping in mind the Delhi assembly election.

“You (PM) have already spoken repeatedly on dynasty politics, now you should be speaking regarding President’s speech, and he should speak on the criticism made by opposition regarding it…he did not answer anything, it was an election speech, tomorrow it is Delhi election, he spoke keeping that in mind,” Tharoor said.

Congress general secretary KC Venugopal said that the PM did not address any of the issues raised by Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav in their speeches on Monday.

“He did not speak on a single question raised by Rahul Gandhi and other opposition leaders, Akhilesh Yadav also spoke very well, he didn’t answer anything on that. This is the repetition of the PM’s speeches that we have been hearing for so many years…nothing new,” Venugopal said.