Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, Feb 6: Like in the Lok Sabha earlier this week, the Congress-bashing once again remained the only focal point in the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday raising questions on motives behind Rahul Gandhi’s demand for caste census.
Replying to the debate in the Rajya Sabha on the Motion of Thanks to the President for her address, Mr Modi viewed the demand for caste census being raised by the Congress and some other opposition parties as an attempt to “spread caste poison in society.”
Insisting that the BJP government under him only work for the focused on development for all with cooperation from all, Mr Modi said such a concept was unknown for a party which only focused on one family.
He said the demand for caste census to ensure that development reached to every corner, was nothing new. For many years, Members of Parliament (MPs) from the Other Backward Classes (OBC) across different parties had been demanding constitutional recognition for the OBC panel. However, he claimed, their demand was consistently rejected by the Congress, stating that it did not align with the party’s political interests.
The Prime Minister further pointed out that despite this, the current BJP-led government had granted constitutional status to the OBC panel. “Whenever the issue of reservation came up, it was done to create a rift in the country… ” he said.
“For the first time, we gave a model, we gave 10 per cent reservation to economically backward groups without snatching from anyone. SC, ST, OBC communities welcomed it, no one had a problem,” Mr Modi added.
“I say it with a lot of pride … For five to six decades, there was no alternative model for the people. After a long time, after 2014, the country got to witness a new model, which is not based on appeasement but ‘santushtikaran (satisfaction of all)’,” Modi said.
“The earlier model, especially under the Congress, there was appeasement in everything. This became the crux of its politics. It would give something to small groups and deprive others. At the time of elections, it would give false hope. It ran its politics by fooling people,” he said.
“Expecting ‘sabka saath, sabka vikas‘ from the Congress is a huge mistake. It is beyond their thinking. It also doesn’t suit their roadmap because the party is dedicated to one family,” Mr Modi said.
“Family first is on top in the Congress’ model… during the Congress’ tenure, there was appeasement in everything. It was their way of doing politics….” he said, “But, after 2014 (when the BJP came to power), the country saw a new working style… not based on appeasement… but satisfaction.”
“And the people have understood and supported our model of development. Our model is – ‘nation first’,” he told the House, basking in the shine of the BJP’s hat-trick of federal election wins.
“And my government,” the Prime Minister continued, “is one that works for the development of marginalised communities (specifically Other Backward Classes), women, and transgenders.”
The Congress, on the other hand, was “irked” by iconic Dalit leader Dr BR Ambedkar and “conspired” to defeat him, Mr Modi claimed. “There was a time when the Congress had a lot of hatred for Ambedkar…” “But today the Congress is forced to say ‘Jai Bhim’.”
The long speech – a welcome opportunity to retaliate to fierce opposition attacks on the deportation rows – focused almost exclusively on the Congress, drawing on an array of barbs BJP leaders have used repeatedly over the past decade, including the ‘Emergency’ and the tenure of Jawaharlal Nehru.
Mr Modi also ripped into the Congress over the ‘Emergency’ imposed by late former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi – an evergreen source of attacks – declaring his rivals had “crushed freedom of speech”, including barring some Hindi films critical of the government from screening on Doordarshan.
“This country has also seen the period of ‘Emergency’ and how the spirit of the Constitution was crushed. It was done for the sake of power. The country knows this.” “During Nehruji‘s tenure (as Prime Minister) a workers’ strike was held in Mumbai… famous poet Majrooh Sultanpuri recited a poem at this time. After this he was jailed. Famous actor Balraj Sahni was jailed because he participated in a protest. Hridaynath Mangeshkarji, brother of (iconic Hindi singer) Lata Mangeshkarji, wanted to sing a song about Veer Savarkar… but was banned from radio.”
Modi pointed out how the Congress government during the Emergency persecuted notable figures such as singer Kishore Kumar and actors Dev Anand and Balraj Sahni for their refusal to support the regime. The Prime Minister also recalled how MPs like George Fernandes were handcuffed and imprisoned during the Emergency. Modi described how the Congress government turned the nation into a jail to maintain the royal family’s power.
