PM Modi was speaking from the floor of the Lok Sabha in his Motion of Thanks for the President's Speech
Highlights
- PM Modi said Congress did not wish to see India's armed forces strong
- He accused the Congress of being "insensitive
- He also criticised the Grand Alliance, calling it a "Grand Adulteration"
Prime Minister Narendra Modi heaped ridicule and sharp criticism on the Opposition on Thursday, saying their idea of Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) is a Maha Milavat (Grand Adulteration) and the people are aware of it. The Prime Minister also retorted to Congress chief Rahul Gandhi's favourite slogan with a tweak of a well-known Hindi proverb. "The thief is scolding the chowkidar (watchman)," he said.
Speaking from the floor of the Lok Sabha in his reply to the Motion of Thanks, PM Modi said, "In 2014, for the first time in 30 years, the people gave India its first full majority government. Now the Maha-Milawat (Grand Adulteration) is about to come".
As the opposition broke into loud protests, he said, "The public knows what happens when there is a milawat ki sarkar (adulterated government)". Then, indicating the treasury benches, he said, "Don't worry, the Grand Adulteration people won't come here."
"The voters understand how a "maha milavat" government can be harmful for the country... When the government has majority, the performance is undoubtedly different," he said. Then, in a dig at the 23-party Opposition rally in Kolkata, he said, "The voters do not want a "Maha Milavat" government of those who assembled in Kolkata".
In what could be his last speech from the floor of the house before the national elections are declared, PM Modi put Congress through the shredder -- claiming Indira Gandhi dismissed elected governments "over 50 times", defence deals with "Chachas and Mamas", and "benami properties" abroad, an indirect reference to Robert Vadra.
Congress chief Rahul Gandhi's brother-in-law, businessman Robert Vadra, is being questioned by the authorities in a money laundering case for a second day today.
Hitting out at Mr Gandhi for his allegations on the Rafale fighter jet deal, PM Modi said the Congress did not wish to see the country's armed forces strong.
"I wondered why they speak lies on Rafale with such confidence. Then I realised because they know in all their years in power there hasn't been a single honest defence deal. Some mama, some chacha kept coming in," he said.
Accusing the Congress of being "insensitive" towards the armed forces, he said, "The Army has seen the days when the officers did not even have bullet-proof jackets to conduct surgical strikes... I am not talking about weaponry here. These are basic facilities".
Being inducted into the Congress, PM Modi said, was considered to be "akin to suicide" by BR Ambedkar. The BJP slogan of "Congress Mukt Bharat (Congress-free India)" was not his slogan, he added, "I am just fulfilling Mahatma Gandhi's wishes".