PM says family-run parties biggest threat to democracy, slams Congress

When family is supreme in party, then first casualty is talent, says PM in Rajya Sabha in his 'if there was no Congress' attack

Dynastic parties are the biggest threat to India's democracy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday as he launched an all-out attack on the Congress and held it responsible for a host of issues, including the Emergency, the anti-Sikh riots, caste politics and the exodus of Pandits from Kashmir.

Replying to the debate on the motion of thanks to the president's address in the Rajya Sabha, the prime minister, who highlighted his government's achievements in various sectors, said the Congress is creating hurdles in the country's development as an opposition party too.

Modi said urban Naxals are today controlling the Congress' thought and ideology. "The Congress in a way is in the grip of urban Naxals. That is why its thought has become negative."

 

The Rajya Sabha adopted the motion of thanks after negating all amendments moved by opposition members.

The Congress staged a walkout from the House during the prime minister's address, prompting Modi to say that one needs to listen too in a democracy and alleging that the party was used to only preaching to others till now.

Modi suggested that the opposition party change its name from Indian National Congress to 'Federation of Congress' and urged it to not impose its frustration and despair on the people of the country as loss and victory happen in politics.

"The biggest threat to our democracy is dynastic parties. When one family gets too prevalent in a political party, then talent is the first casualty. I suggest all political parties should establish democracy in their own parties and the Congress being the oldest party of the country has more responsibility to do so," he said in the House.

"Some members asked, if there was no Congress, what would happen...I would like to say, if there was no Congress there would be no Emergency, there would be no caste politics, Sikhs would never have been massacred, the problems of Kashmiri Pandits would not have happened," Modi added.

Whenever someone within the Congress has spoken against a particular family, the results have been there for all to see, the prime minister said, naming the late leader Sitaram Kesri.

Kesri,who spoke out against the Gandhi family, was removed as party president.

He also took on the Congress for preaching about freedom of expression and cited the example of Lata Mangeshkar's musician brother Hridaynath Mangeshkar who was sacked from All India Radio for presenting a poetry on Veer Savarkar. Lyricist Majrooh Sultanpuri was jailed criticising Jawaharlal Nehru.

The prime minister noted that India is known as the 'mother of democracy', and democracy and debate have been carrying on for centuries here.

He alleged that the Congress thinks the country was born only in 1947. This mindset is harmful for the country as its policies have affected the country's progress in the last 75 years.

"We will never learn lessons in democracy from those who trampled over democracy in 1975," Modi said.

He attacked the Congress for sacking over 50 state governments of several parties during its over 50-year rule at the Centre.

The Congress, the prime minister said, has been suppressing state governments and the policy of the Congress high command has been "to first discredit, then destabilise and then dismiss" governments.

The prime minister urged the opposition to be constructive and take the country to greater heights when it completes 100 years of independence.

"Have faith in the capability of 130 crore people of India, who will take the country forward with their talent," he said, adding that the nation was now entering the golden period.

Modi also criticised some parties that created negativity during Covid times and said they even boycotted an all-party meeting on the issue

Highlighting the achievements of his government during the pandemic, Modi said it was able to control inflation despite high international prices and amid the pandemic. He claimed that while the United States has faced highest inflation in 40 years and the United Kingdom in the last 30 years, India has controlled price rise.

He said inflation has remained between 4-5 percent during the last six years, while it was in double digits during the UPA rule.

Though other countries are facing high inflation and slow growth, India is witnessing high growth and medium inflation and has become the fastest growing economies among developing countries, Modi said.

The GST Council and Covid management, he said, were perfect examples of federalism as all decisions taken in the Council were unanimous. Modi added that he held 23 meetings with chief ministers during the Covid pandemic.

He also claimed that the country was among the top three in the setting of unicorns and credited the youth for the achievement. He listed various steps taken by the government, including provision of free foodgrains to over 80 crore people.

He stressed that the infrastructure sector, besides MSME and agriculture were accorded top priority to help generate employment opportunities.