PM's tirade against Cong; says fulfilling Gandhi's dream

Launching a tirade against the Congress, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said he was pursuing Mahatma Gandhi's dream of a 'Congress-mukt Bharat' and accused the grand old party of eulogising the Gandhi family when in power, at the cost of India's development.

Replying to a debate in both Houses of Parliament on the motion of thanks for the President's address, he asked whether the opposition party wanted the "Old India" marked by Emergency, scams and massacre of Sikhs, as against the 'New India' that the BJP was seeking to create.

In hard-hitting speeches, he claimed that his government was an "aim-chaser" as it was achieving targets in a time- bound manner, unlike during the Congress governments which only made announcements and never completed the projects.
 

He said the non-performing assets (NPAs) of banks were a "sin" of the UPA government, alleging that the Congress was spreading lies to create a sense of disappointment among the middle class about his government. He also gave figures to rebuff opposition criticism on unemployment and other issues.

While Modi spoke for nearly 90 minutes in the Lok Sabha which was marred by continuous slogan-shouting by Congress members from the Well, he delivered a 70-minute speech in the Rajya Sabha later.

In the Lok Sabha, he accused the Congress of dividing the country at the time of independence for selfish interests.

"This is the same party that divided India. For decades, one party devoted all their energies in singing paeans to one family. The interests of the nation were over-looked just for the interests of one family," he said.

"If your direction and intentions were right, then the country would have developed many times more," Modi said.

He said if Sardar Patel had been the country's first prime minister, then a part of Jammu and Kashmir would not be in Pakistan's control, he said, claiming that most units of the Congress had backed Patel over Jawaharlal Nehru, who eventually became the prime minister.

He also questioned the grand old party for the long delay in conferring Bharat Ratna to Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel and Constitution's architect B R Ambedkar.

Countering opposition criticism over his vision of 'New India', he said, "I also want India of Gandhi's dream. And Gandhi had said since the country has got independence, now Congress is not required and should be disbanded."

"This Congress-mukt Bharat was Gandhi's dream. We are trying to follow the path shown by him," Modi said amid thumping benches by treasury benches.

He said the Congress wanted an India of the Emergency, Bofors, chopper scams and the Tandoor case and wondered if the party wanted a India where thousands of Sikhs were killed after a 'big tree falls', in apparent reference to 1984 Sikh riots following killing of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

Claiming that his government has a vision for the country's development while the Congress worked with a "petty mind", he said the "biggest tunnel on land, the biggest tunnel under sea, the fastest train and the biggest gas pipe line" were being built by it.

"We have to create a new India. Let us all make our contribution to create it," he said, adding that criticism was democracy's strength, but not lies.

Throughout Modi's speech, Congress members were in the Well demanding that promises made to Andhra Pradesh following its division be fulfilled, questioning the Rafale deal and raised slogans targeting him.

Amid the din, an unfazed prime minister alleged AP was suffering due to the "hasty decision" of the erstwhile UPA government to bifurcate the state in 2014 for "political benefits".

In the Rajya Sabha, Modi urged MPs to have "constructive discussion" on holding of simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and the state assemblies, saying the exercise costs a lot of time and money that India could not afford.

He also criticised the Congress for non-passage of a bill to provide constitutional status to OBC Commission and the legislation against triple talaq.

Hitting at opposition for criticising triple talaq bill on the ground that sending Muslim men to jail will cause sufferings to their families, Modi wondered if similar questions were asked when Hindu men are arrested for polygamy.

He said all criminal laws prescribe punishment but what will happen to the families of accused is never an issue.

Modi sought to corner the Congress on the Bofors issue and quoted senior congress leader and former President of India late R Venkataraman, who in his biography has referred to his meeting with noted industrialist JRD Tata.

"Tata said he felt that after 1980 the Congress party did not ask for poll funding from industrialist as the parties expense were run from the commisison coming from defence deals," he said quoting Venkataraman.

He also took a dig at the opposition party when he quoted Jairam Ramesh having said that though the 'Sultanate' has gone, the leaders continue to behave like 'Sultans', by lauding the Congress leader for seeking out openly.

Taking a jibe at the opposition parties, the Prime Minister asked why should anyone feel bad if the country improved 'ease of doing business' rating. "It is beyond comprehension. If nothing, some even start questioning the credibility of the rating agency just because it has did not happen under their rule."

He said the Congress party while criticising BJP or Modi, start criticising India which adversely affects the country.

"Look at what all you mocked -- Swachh Bharat, Make in India, surgical strikes, Yoga Day. You are free to mock as you please but why are you blocking the bill for OBC Commission? Why are you blocking Triple Talaq Bill. Are you not sensitive to the aspirations of OBCs," he posed.

Referring to his recent visit to Davos, Modi said he went there and Congress also went there. "But the difference is - you went with a letter to save someone," he claimed.

Taking on the Congress for accusing his government of only repackaging or renaming old schemes and programmes, the Prime Minister said "You call us name changers....we are aim changers - we work hard and have ushered in a paradigm shift in the working of the Government. Innovative projects are being thought of and completed in a time bound manner."

On Congress statements that it had brought Aadhaar scheme, he said "let me remind them about a debate in the Rajya Sabha in 1998 and what L K Advani Ji said. It is in his speech that you will find the genesis of Aadhaar."

Modi sought constructive suggestions from all parties for government's healthcare programme 'Ayushman Bharat'.

Raising the issue of simultaneous polls, he said huge amounts are spent in conducting elections and so much time and energy goes into holding them and asked whether a country like India can afford it. He sought the opposition's cooperation in working out a solution in this regard.

He claimed in Lok Sabha that his government has a vision for the country's development while the Congress worked with a "petty mind", he said the "biggest tunnel on land, the biggest tunnel under sea, the fastest train and the biggest gas pipe line" were being built by it.

"We have to create a new India. Let us all make our contribution to fulfil to create it," he said, adding that criticism was democracy's strength, but not lies.

The Lok Sabha adopted the motion with a voice vote after opposition parties like the Congress, Trinamool Congress and the Left staged a walk out. The motion was adopted in Rajya Sabha too, where Trinamool Congress also staged a walkout in Rajya Sabha while Modi was still speaking.