Parliament Proceedings: Modi Launches Scathing Attack on Opposition, Rahul Gandhi

Manas Dasgupta

NEW DELHI, Feb 8: The Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday launched a scathing attack on the opposition particularly targeting the Congress describing the 10 years of UPA rule from 2004 to 2014 as a “lost decade” when nothing good happened for the country.

Replying to the debate on the motion of thanks to the president for her address to the joint House of Parliament, Modi claimed that in comparison the period under his administration from 201 to 2024 would be known the world over as the “decade of India” because of the spectacular achievements and the progress the country made during the period.

Modi, however, made no reference to the Gautam Adani saga which dominated the opposition attack on the government during the debate, particularly by the Congress leader Rahul Gandhi whose remarks on Adani being supported by the Modi government were expunged from the records of Parliament.

Lashing out at the 10 years of the UPA rule, Modi said it had “bled the country dry.” “2004 to 2014 was the decade of scams and violence and the UPA’s trademark was to turn every opportunity into crisis”. And while the Congress might feel the way to go is to “abuse Modi”, the 140 crore people of the country were his “shield”.

“2004-14 was a lost decade, current one will be known as India’s decade,” he added. Modi further said there was hope in every sector in the country, but “some people were steeped in frustration due to the people’s mandate against them.”

In his address, PM Modi said India now has a stable and decisive government and that reforms have been brought in out of conviction and not compulsion. He went on to say that “people’s trust in Modi is not because of newspaper headlines or TV visuals but because “of my years of dedication.” Beginning his address, Modi said President Droupadi Murmu has “shown us the way” and that “she is an inspiration for all.” Saying that India has celebrated the President’s address, he stated, “Notwithstanding the pandemic, divided world, geopolitical disturbances, the way the country has waded through the disturbances has filled it with pride and confidence.”

Prime Minister added that whilst there may be political and ideological differences, but the country would remain immortal and moving towards celebrating 100 years of independence in 2047.

The Prime Minister accused the opposition of being so “immersed in despair” that they can’t see the progress the country is making. “And why wouldn’t it be so? Because in the decade between 2004 and 2014…” he said, launching into one of his sharpest attacks on the Congress.

“Before 2014, between 2004-14, inflation was high. That decade was the most corrupt since Independence. In UPA’s 10-year rule, from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, the entire country was gripped with terrorism. From Jammu and Kashmir to the northeast, the entire region saw nothing but violence. In those 10 years, India was so weak at the global stage, no one was even ready to listen to India. Between 2004 and 2014, the UPA turned every opportunity into a crisis,” PM Modi said, amid raucous cheers from the treasury benches.

Hinting that corruption over those 10 years had brought the Opposition under the scanner of Central investigative agencies, he taunted the opposition over its deep rifts. “The Enforcement Directorate did what the voters could not — ED has brought all Opposition parties together on one platform,” he said.

Over the last nine years, instead of constructive criticism, compulsive critics have taken over, “those who feel that abusing Modi will solve their problems,” he added in an arch reference to Rahul Gandhi’s attack yesterday.

“Yesterday again in the Parliament, there was a discussion on Harvard,” PM Modi then added, leaving no room for doubt about his target.  “The Congress said India’s destruction will be a case study at Harvard. However, in the past few years, Harvard did an important study. The topic was: The Rise and Decline of India’s Congress Party. In the future, the destruction of Congress will not just be studied at Harvard but also at many other institutions around the globe,” he added.

The reference to Harvard University had come from Rahul Gandhi’s remarks during the debate when he accused the Prime Minister of having links with billionaire Gautam Adani, whose companies are in the spotlight after a damaging report by US-based short-seller Hindenburg Research alleged stock manipulation and accounting fraud by the group. He had said the Harvard University of the US should focus on the situation. “Harvard University should study the relationship between politics and business – India is a case study and the Prime Minister should be given a gold medal for this,” Gandhi had said in his first speech in Lok Sabha after his Bharat Jodo Yatra.

The BJP said it was clear that Mr Gandhi would make Gautam Adani the focus of the Congress campaign for the next election, and it would fail just the way their attack on the Rafale deal failed in 2019. “You are frustrated. But what can we do if the people won’t vote for your party,” said senior BJP leader and former Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad.

Earlier in the day, the Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, while participating in the debate launched an attack on the Modi-led government. “There are 30 lakh vacancies in government and public sector… Why is the government not filling them?… You’re sending money to private sector…82,000 crores… Instead invest in public sector. 10 lakh people work in public sector, but you send Rs 82000 crore to private entities like Adani, where only 30,000 people work. Still he gets encouragement.” Speaking on unemployment and the widening gap between the rich and poor in the country, Kharge added, “PM Modi promised the country’s population of 2 crores jobs every year. (He said) youth, if I come, every year there will be 2 crore jobs. In these 9 years, where are the 18 crore jobs? Leave that, you’re not even filling 50 lakh vacancies. 30 lakh government jobs are not being filled.”

Concluding his reply to the debate, Modi said, “There can be difference of opinion in politics, but we are focused on building a developed India by 2047.”

Several Opposition MPs walked out of Lok Sabha boycotting Modi’s reply to the debate. Modi said the Opposition has wasted the last nine years in making allegations and added that “compulsive criticism replaced constructive criticism during this period.” Taking a swipe at the previous UPA government, PM Modi says “Vote bank politics harmed the country, delayed India’s development and the middle class was ignored, but the NDA government provided them protection.”

Modi went on to say that “people’s trust in Modi is not because of newspaper headlines or TV visuals but because “of my years of dedication.” “People know Modi has come to their help in times of crisis, how will they then agree with your abuses and allegations?” he asks. The prime minister said the “trust of crores of people is my protective shield and it can’t be breached by your abuses and allegations.” “Our priority is to work for the welfare of the deprived, poor and tribals, and that is our mission,” he said.