PM Gave Election Speech, Did Not Address Issues In RS: Cong

The Congress on Monday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave an election speech in Parliament while skipping the real issues raised by the party and accused him of throwing parliamentary conventions to the winds. Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi claimed the prime minister was afraid of the party as it spoke the truth which is why he attacked the Congress in both the Houses of Parliament.

He also said if Modi likes abusing the party and his great-grandfather Jawaharlal Nehru, he can do so but he should do his job first as the country faced danger from China and Pakistan coming together. "If you like abusing the Congress and Nehru, be my guest but do your job," Gandhi said. 

"I do not need anyone's certificate for my great-grandfather. I don't care what anybody says about him," the former party chief said. Replying to the Motion of Thanks on President's Address, Modi on Tuesday continued his no-holds-barred attack on the Congress declaring that even Mahatma Gandhi wanted it dismantled and claiming there would have been no Emergency, no massacre of Sikhs, no caste politics and no exodus of Pandits from Kashmir had the Congress not been there.

Modi also alleged that "urban Naxals" had control over the party. Describing dynastic parties as the biggest threat to India's democracy, he said Nehru, "concerned about his global image", refused to send the Army to help Ram Manohar Lohia-led 'satyagrahis' working for Goa's independence. The Congress staged a walkout from the Rajya Sabha during the prime minister's address, prompting Modi to say that one needs to listen too in a democracy and that the party was used to only preaching to others till now.

Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said the PM only spoke against the party, it was irrelevant and did not speak on the president's address. "The prime minister only gave an election speech and attacked the Congress only as elections to five states are on. He said nothing in the interest of the country and did not give any vision of his government in the coming year,"he said.

Kharge said Modi did not address the issues raised by the opposition and said they are not the ones following Gandhi's ideals but are those who eulogise Gandhi's assassin Nathuram Godse. "Those who worship Mahatma Gandhi Ji's assassin are now telling us that the Congress should be dissolved," he said, adding that it does behove them to even use Gandhi's name. The Congress leader claimed that democracy is alive in the country only because of the Congress.

Responding to Modi's attack on the Congress, party general secretary and chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said it is because of the Congress there is space for opposition and dissent and that a party of two MPs is today ruling the country. "The Congress is there and that is why Babasaheb's constitution is there, dreams of freedom fighters are coming true, Bapu's thoughts and ideals are alive, nuclear power and technological revolution is there. Pakistan broke into two after it challenged India and we have been strong even during global recession, and there has also been space for opposition and dissent," Surjewala said in a series of tweets in Hindi.

Because of the Congress, the voice of the people rises even amid oppressive tools and there is a fearless truth even in the midst of lies and propaganda, he said. "Amid the craze of the useless government full of rhetoric, there is a dedicated opposition which cares about the country and performs the religion of public service, not the slavery of capitalists," the Congress leader said. "Honourable Modi Ji, the 75th year of Independence is the golden period for lies-hatred-arrogance-propaganda and of capitalists. But for the youth, farmers, housewives, the poor and small businessmen and traders it is 'rahu kaal' (bad time)," Surjewala said.

He asked the prime minister to refrain from using unparliamentary language and making rhetorical speeches, and asked him if he had done some work for the people. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said in a tweet, "Some elevate debates in Parliament, but even by his pathetic standards of decency, dignity, sobriety of language and fidelity to facts, the PM plumbed new depths in the Rajya Sabha today, forcing an opposition walkout." He alleged that Modi falsified history yet again, staying true to his character.

Ramesh said the prime minister claimed that Majrooh Sultanpuri was jailed in 1949 for attacking Nehru. "Majrooh Saab was in fact imprisoned with many other Communists that year as the CPI had announced a revolution against the Indian government." Party leader Gaurav Gogoi said, "Shahanshah Modi ji was so disturbed by Rahul Gandhi's speech that instead of talking about India, he spent close to two hours attacking Rahul ji, attacking the Congress. The prime minister was ultra defensive and so insecure that he thought that price rise is not an issue in today's time."

Another Congress leader Shaktisinh Gohil said it does not behove the prime minister to use such language against opposition leaders and former prime ministers and described it as "tapori language". Gohil also claimed that Mahatma Gandhi, a day before his assassination, had said how important the Congress is for the country and this has been recorded in history and his journal "Harijan".