‘25 crore lifted out of poverty during a decade in office’
NEW DELHI, Feb 4: Prime Minister Narendra Modi vigorously criticized Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday, asserting that those calling for a “war against the Indian State” lack an appreciation for both the Constitution and national unity, as he embarked on a robust defense in the Lok Sabha against the Opposition.
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With Rahul Gandhi spearheading Congress’ efforts to challenge the ruling coalition for purportedly ignoring the needs of marginalized communities, the Prime Minister questioned—amidst cheers from the treasury benches—whether there had ever been three members from a Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes family serving as MPs simultaneously.
Responding to the two-day debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s Address, he remarked, “I want to pose an extremely crucial question to the citizens,” before elaborating, “The response to my question will reveal the vast disparity between the rhetoric and the reality of certain individuals. This gap is as profound as that between the earth and the sky, day and night.”
The Prime Minister’s remarks were evidently directed at the Gandhi family, whose three members—Sonia Gandhi, Rahul, and Priyanka—are presently serving in Parliament.
He further accused Rahul Gandhi of using the rhetoric of urban naxals, describing it as the nation’s misfortune.
“Those who wage a war against the Indian state understand neither the Constitution nor the unity of the country,” he emphasized.
Earlier, Gandhi had claimed during the inauguration of his party’s new headquarters that Congress is in combat against the Indian state, alleging the government uses its power to target opposition figures.
In a nearly 95-minute address, Modi cited statistics to emphasize his government’s efforts for SC, ST, and OBC communities to counter Congress’ claims while also targeting AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal for alleged corruption and empty promises just a day before the Delhi assembly elections.
His administration has focused on the welfare of disadvantaged groups without inciting societal tensions, Modi asserted, claiming that his government has created more opportunities for these communities in all domains.
He remarked on how discussing caste has seemed to become fashionable among certain leaders, referencing Gandhi’s interest in caste census, and highlighted that MBBS seats for SC, ST, and OBC students have increased substantially during his tenure—from 7,700 to 17,000, 3,800 to 9,000, and from 14,000 to 32,000 respectively—as the total number of medical colleges surged from 387 to 780.
Modi also claimed that his government has saved lakhs of crores of rupees since 2014, including over ₹3 lakh crore by eliminating over 10 crore fraudulent beneficiaries from welfare schemes, redirecting those funds towards nation-building rather than constructing a “sheesh mahal,” a jab at the former Delhi chief minister.
The BJP has frequently used the term ‘sheesh Mahal’ to suggest a significant scandal in relation to the reconstruction of Kejriwal’s official residence.
Modi criticized Sonia Gandhi’s “poor thing” comments directed at President Droupadi Murmu after her address on January 31, deeming it disrespectful to a “daughter of a poor family” and condemned such attitudes.
In response to Rahul Gandhi’s criticisms of the government’s foreign policy, particularly regarding China’s alleged incursions, Modi downplayed his accusations, suggesting that certain politicians believe they need to discuss foreign affairs to appear mature.
He suggested that such leaders should read “JFK’s Forgotten Crisis,” which contains some unflattering comments about Jawaharlal Nehru.
Addressing Congress’ claims that he has sought to undermine the Constitution, he said, referring to the treasury benches, “Those who uphold the Constitution are among us. When ‘satta’ (government power) serves the people, then nation-building occurs. When it becomes a matter of inheritance, democracy is jeopardized.”
Modi highlighted his government’s inclusion of the leader of the largest opposition party in the selection process for key officials even when there was no recognized opposition after the 2014 elections. He added that a law has been enacted ensuring the Leader of the Opposition is part of the panel responsible for selecting election commissioners.
He outlined various initiatives, such as documenting the histories of all prime ministers in the PM Museum as opposed to a “family museum,” and constructing India’s tallest statue, that of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, a notable Congress leader, to reiterate his government’s commitment to the Constitution and its principles.
Turning to Kejriwal, the Aam Aadmi Party leader, Modi condemned him for corruption, broken promises, and failing to provide health benefits to the city’s elderly by not adopting the Centre’s Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme.
“Some parties resemble ‘AAP-da’ in relation to the future of young people,” he remarked during his speech without directly mentioning Gandhi or Kejriwal.
Modi concluded that Murmu’s speech had instilled renewed confidence in achieving the goal of ‘Viksit Bharat’ and motivated people, noting that citizens have given him the 14th opportunity to respond to the Motion following the President’s Address.
He stated that over 25 crore individuals have been lifted out of poverty during his decade-long government and criticized former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi for often advocating the need to prepare India for the 21st century while doing little to address the demands of the 20th century—during which time Rahul Gandhi’s father was in power from 1984 to 1989.
Citing a famous cartoon by R.K. Laxman depicting a plane symbolizing the 21st century being carried on a cart, he remarked on the disconnect the then Prime Minister had with reality.
Invoking his own modest upbringing, Modi emphasized that individuals connected to grassroots realities understand the needs of the populace and dedicate their lives to uplifting the underprivileged, leading to positive change.
His administration has directly credited more than ₹40 lakh crore to citizens’ bank accounts, he noted.
Moreover, his government has invested significantly in development while also bolstering citizens’ savings. Previously, only those earning ₹2 lakh were exempt from Income Tax, a threshold which has now been increased to ₹12 lakh.
In contrast to past appeasement politics, his government has ensured the benefits reach everyone through a policy of satisfaction, he stated, referring to the BJP’s resounding victories in Haryana and Maharashtra assembly elections as evidence of the public’s trust in the party.
Expressing his confidence in continued support from the populace, he remarked that he is still in his third term and that the people will grant his party many more chances to serve them. (PTI)
