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How many times did Narendra Modi talk about the Congress in his 90-minute-long speech?

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the Lok Sabha, and much of his speech was about the Congress and its leaders.

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s speech in the Lok Sabha Wednesday was supposed to be his reply to the debate on the motion of thanks to the President for his address to the joint sitting of the two houses of Parliament.

But the 90-minute speech, delivered amid frequent interruptions and heckling by the opposition, ended up being more about the Congress party. There were at least a dozen direct references to the main opposition party and multiple indirect references in the form of “purani sarkaar” (old party) or “aap” (the opposition).

 

Here’s a list of all the times Modi referred to the Congress in his speech and the context in which he did so:

12.17- You injected poison

“It’s in your character. When India was conceived, you divided it for your own gains. You injected poison and even after 70 years, the Indian still suffers today.”

12.20: You were not serving the nation

“You were not serving the nation, but only your family.”

12.24: Some people are like a cassette tape

Some people in the opposition when they criticise us, they keep repeating “in our time” like a cassette tape.

12.25: You made fragments of Mother India

“We haven’t been able to progress with the speed we could have, and you made fragments of Mother India, yet the nation was with you. The radio only played your records and when the TV came, it was completely servile.”

12.26: Congress appointed top judges

“For a period, even the top positions in the judiciary were appointed by Congress party. It was decided through the party. This much luxury in the courts, at a time when there was no PIL or presence of NGOs.”

12.27: You spent the whole time singing odes to one family

“You spent the whole time singing odes to one family, disregarding the history of the nation. The days after Independence, there was enthusiasm in the nation. If you worked with some responsibility, this nation with its potential would have reached greater heights. But you kept dancing to your own tune. ”

12.28: Congress thinks India was born on 15 August 1947

“Congress party workers think that India was born on 15 August 1947. Like the nation didn’t exist before this.”

12.29: Congress and Nehru didn’t give us democracy

“They say that Nehru gave us democracy. You talk about democracy? The tradition of democracy has been carried on for generations. Congress and Nehru didn’t give us democracy.”

12.30: Don’t insult Jagatguru Basaveshwara

“Mallikarjun Kharge is here. You are from Karnataka. After worshipping one family, after Karnataka elections you might have energy left, but at least don’t insult Jagatguru Basaveshwara, during whose time in the 12th century all decisions in villages were taken in a democratic manner.”

12.33:  Rajiv Gandhi insulting the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister

“When Rajiv Gandhi arrived at the Hyderabad airport, a Chief Minister who was from a schedule caste came to receive him at the airport. He (Rajiv Gandhi) humiliated the Dalit CM T.N. Anjaiah.”

12.35: Why did the Congress dismiss so many state governments?

“What did you do with Akali Dal in Punjab? What did you do in Tamil Nadu? What did you do in Kerala? You did not let the democracy of the country thrive.”

12.36: Congress’s democracy gets trampled

“When the voice of conscience is raised, Congress’s democracy gets trampled.”

12.36: The betrayal of Neelam Sanjiva Reddy

“The Congress President insulted Shri Neelam Sanjiva Reddy and stabbed him in the back.”

12.37: Talking about democracy doesn’t suit you 

“Recently, when Dr. Manmohan Singh was prime minister, the cabinet took a decision. An important ritual of democracy. A post holder from your own party called press and tore the paper with cabinet decision on it in front of the nation. Talking about democracy doesn’t suit you.”

12.38: Congress committees voted for Sardar Patel to be first PM

“When Congress held elections (internal elections before Independence) for leadership in the country, 12 out of 15 Congress committees chose Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, 3 chose NOTA. Yet the leadership wasn’t given to him (Patel), and Nehru was given the post. If Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel would have been the first prime minister of the country, all of Kashmir would have been ours.”

12.39: Our government has built more highways

“Our government more built national highways than the previous government.”

12.42: We have outdone the previous government

“The previous government may take credit for the work. But we have outdone them at every level. There is no comparison.”

12.46: Kharge takes pride in a Vajpayee govt project

He (Mallikarjun Kharge) takes pride in his work in railways in Karnataka. But the truth about the Bidar-Kalburgi rail line is that the project was approved by the Vajpayee government. The Congress never speaks about it.

12.52: Congress does not give credit to other parties

“No Congress minister has given credit to other parties but I have. It is in our character to do so.”

12.53: You think everything has been done because of you and your family

“When Gujarat was conceived, Congress was ruling. In these 50-year journey, we archived all the lectures of all governors. That’s democracy. You think everything that has been done is because of you and your family. It is the mentality you have that resulted in you sitting there.”

12.55: Manipulating employment numbers

I want to ask my friends in Congress who criticise employment numbers – when you give the unemployment numbers, you give it for the whole country, but when you give employment numbers, then you must give the numbers for the whole country as well.

13.01: You have your eyes shut

“You have your eyes shut and hence you can’t rise above. And your mentality will result in you staying there.”

13.02: Young leaders in 1980s failed to get even aviation policy in place

“During the 1980s the Congress government had young leaders who set aspirations for the 21st century, but failed to get so much as an aviation policy in place.”

13.05: You said Modi won’t let Aadhaar come

“You said Modi won’t let Aadhaar come. But when Modi brought it in a scientific manner that you couldn’t imagine, and now that it’s in place, you started contesting the implementation.”

13.09: Matter of shame 20 per cent of population still lives without power

“It is a matter of shame that around 20 per cent of our population still lives without electricity and we have inherited that from you.”

13.16: We had to import bamboo because of your mistake

“You couldn’t have imagined bigger things. You worked with a narrow mind. We had to import bamboo because of your mistake.”

13.29: Previous government responsible for NPA problem

“The previous government is 100 per cent responsible for the NPA (non-performing asset) problem, because of their banking policies.”

13.39: Talking to the Chinese during Doklam

“When our soldiers were sanding at Doklam, you were talking to the Chinese?”

13.40: We didn’t let nation suffer

“When Indira Gandhi signed the Shimla Agreement, or the pact with Benazir Bhutto, we were not in agreement. However, Atal Bihari Vajpayee did not go out and talk about it, instead, he took time from Indira Gandhi and talked to her. We didn’t let the nation suffer.”

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7 COMMENTS

  1. Modi govt had become a big burden for middle class salaried people in rivate sector petrol prices only go up when crude has dropped by ten percent petrol price is same further ppf scheme used by private sector employeesand self employed all imports are costlier by ten percent due to sur charge in short he has made life of common men very difficult sooner he goes better for nation

  2. Very much true .we shoudnot commit the same blunder again and again we must vote for nation’s sake. Not for a family sake and seudo secularism

  3. He is not entirely wrong, and has no choice other than going on the offensive because there is an imminent risk of Gandhi family milking its last name for electoral gains, even if that means giving India a third grade coalition government.

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