Modi targets Congress, pays back Rahul in equal measure

Mixing aggression, wit and barbs, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today accused of stalling Parliament because of "jealousy" and "inferiority complex" of its leadership even as he appealed for opposition support for "improving" governance while sidestepping the raging controversies surrounding JNU and Hyderabad University.
In his 75-minute speech in the Lok Sabha, he paid back in sarcasm to the attack, particularly by Rahul Gandhi, yesterday over various initiatives of his government, including the 'Make in India' programme and MNREGA.
However, at the end of his speech winding up the debate on the motion of thanks to the President's address, the Prime Minister held out an olive branch to the opposition seeking its cooperation in running the government for the benefit of the people and the country.

"We need to make an atmosphere of improving trust. If you have suggestions, please do offer. I would like the government to adopt these habits. Government also needs to improve and this would not happen without your support. I need your support. I need you people, your experience.
"I am new. You are experienced. Let us walk shoulder to shoulder and do some good work for the nation. Governments may come and go. People mkay come and go. Things may fail or succeed but the country will remain immortal. And we will work for the fulfilment of the country," he said reaching out to the Opposition.

After the prime minister's reply, the House rejected all opposition amendments, including one by division insisted upon by BJD leader Batruhari Mahtab, and adopted the motion.

Paying back in good measure to Rahul without naming him, Modi appeared to be responding to his remarks yesterday that the prime minister should "listen" to others by saying it is "easy to preach others".
The Prime Minister recalled how Rahul had in 2013 shown "respect" to the Cabinet headed by Manmohan Singh and veterans of his cabinet including A K Antony, Sharad Pawar and Farooq Abdullah by tearing in public an Ordinance cleared by it.

Slamming Congress for disrupting Parliament and stalling bills, Modi said it was doing so because of "jealousy" and "inferiority complex" of its top leaders, suggesting they were not allowing "young" and "Bright" leaders to emerge fearing that they may overshadow Rahul.
"In the opposition there are bright and talented youngers who don't get a chance to speak. They do a lot of study. The concern is that if they6 speak, they will be praised. Then what will happen to us," he said to the cheers from the treasury benches.
Modi deplored the 'tu tu, mai mai' (blame game) attitude
by political parties for "scoring points", saying the bureaucracy rejoices over this and nation suffers.

He said a democratic country like India cannot be left at the mercy of bureaucracy as he sought to underline the importance of the legislature, saying even a single MP of any party should be treated like "Prime Minister".
The prime minister, however, did not respond to the specific issues raised by Rahul Gandhi and other opposition leaders, like his visit to Pakistan, blackmoney, JNU and Dalit student Rohith Vemula's suicide in Hydeabad University.
In an apparent reference to Rahul's remarks yesterday that he should listen to others, Modi said, "It is easy to preach others...There are some people to whom all kinds of questions are asked. But there are some others, whom nobody dares to ask questions."

Apparently referring to the attacks on him in the aftermath of Gujarat riots of 2002, he said, "I have been questioned, I have faced criticism and accusations over the last 14 years. I have learnt to live with it."
When Congress member Kantilal Bhuria said that there is a "gap between what you say and what you do", Modi said, "I have got several certificates during the last 14 years, let there be one more. I accept it with bowed head."
The Prime Minister said it is his government's privilege to do the work that should have been done years ago, but unfortunately didn't happen.

While hitting out at Rahul for criticising him, Modi
sarcastically recalled how he had torn at a press conference an Ordinance approved by the Cabinet headed by Manmohan Singh and including veterans like A K Antony, Sharad Pawar and Farooq Abdullah.
"The nation cannot forget September 27, 2013. The then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was in the US... An Ordinance approved by the Cabinet was torn at a press conference.... (This is) respect..," he said.
He also took on Rahul for mocking at the government's ambitious 'Make in India' programme, questioning whether such a scheme should be made fun of.

"You are mocking at 'Make in India'? If it is not successful, you should suggest what should be done to make it successful," he said.
Referring to disruptions in Parliament due to which several bills, including the crucial GST legislation is stuck, Modi said "House is not allowed to function due to inferiority complex (of the opposition leadership)."
While elaborating, he appeared to suggest that top Congress leadership was not allowing "young" and "bright" leaders to emerge fearing that they may overshadow Rahul.
"In the opposition there are bright and talented youngsters who don't get a chance to speak...They do a lot lot of study...The concern is that if they speak, they will be praised. Then what will happen to us," Modi said.

Training guns at the Congress, Modi also slammed it over the issue of poverty.
"You (Congress) boldly say that during elections I had promised to rid the country of poverty. But you have made poverty so deep-rooted that it is so difficult to uproot it... You must be saying 'Modi, you yourself will be uprooted but poverty will not go'.. Still, we are making efforts," he said.
"To uproot poverty, a lot of efforts need to be made.... I realised how deep-rooted poverty is only when I came here (after becoming Prime Minister)," the former Gujarat Chief Minister said.