Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday criticised the Congress party and also took a dig at the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge. PM Modi was responding to the Motion of Thanks to the President's Address in the Rajya Sabha.
Taking a swipe at the Congress, PM Modi expressed his hope that the party secures at least 40 seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. He also said that the Congress party has historically opposed the interests of Dalits, backward classes, and tribals in the country, and highlighted that Jawaharlal Nehru was against any form of reservation.
"If you (Congress) were not inspired from the British, then why did everyone have to wait for Modi to change Rajpath to Kartavya Path. If you were not inspired from the British, then why no war memorial was built for our soldiers who kept sacrificing their lives for the country," PM Modi said.
"Look at the 10-year history of Congress. (India) was among the five fragile economies. However, look at our 10 years, we are among the top five economies. We brought the country out of this after a lot of hard work."
"The Congress, which never gave complete reservation to OBCs, never gave reservation to the poor of the general category, which did not consider Baba Saheb worthy of Bharat Ratna, kept giving Bharat Ratna only to its family. They are now preaching and teaching us the lesson of social justice. Those who have no guarantee as a leader are raising questions about Modi's guarantee," PM Modi said.
"Nehru said 'I do not like reservation in any form. Especially reservation in jobs. I am against any such step that promotes inefficiency and takes us toward mediocrity'."
"Yuvraj ko ek startup bana ke diya hai, ab woh non-starter hai... na toh lift ho raha hai na toh woh launch ho raha hai (They have given the price a a startup, now it's a non-starter... neither is it taking off nor is it launching."
"The Congress that handed over a large part of our land to our enemies, the Congress which stopped the modernisation of the country's armies, is today giving us speeches on national security and internal security," PM said.
"The Congress that handed over a large part of our land to our enemies, the Congress which stopped the modernisation of the country's armies, is today giving us speeches on national security and internal security."
PM Modi hit out at the opposition leaders and took a jibe at Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge over his 'long' speech. I was wondering how Kharge got the freedom to speak so much. "Then I realised that the two commandos who are usually here were not present. Kharge ji, after realising there were no umpires or commandos, kept hitting 4s and 6s."
Taking a dig at Kharge's '400 paar' statement, PM Modi said, “A challenge has been posed before you from West Bengal that Congress will not be able to cross 40 in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. I pray that you keep 40 seats with you.”
"By 2047, India will reach a golden era. My mantra was the same at that time (as the then Gujarat Chief Minister) and even today -- 'Desh ke vikas ke liye rajya ka vikas' (state's development for the sake of the country's development). If the state takes one step forward, it provides the strength for the country to take two steps."
"Our progress is not going to slow down, and our third term is not too far. Modi 3.0 will lay the foundation for a 'viksit Bharat' (developed India), and that is why it is needed at the moment," PM Modi said.
