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Inferiority complex behind stalling House proceedings, says Narendra Modi

PM reaches out to oppn, says seniors in oppn should not worry about new talented MPs stealing limelight

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Modi in Lok Sabha on Thursday.
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Mixing tirade with compassion, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Thursday, reached out to the Opposition, offering to walk together and inviting leaders to share their expertise with the government, even as he made scathing attacks on the Congress and its leader Rahul Gandhi.

Replying to a three-day debate in the Lok Sabha on a motion of thanks to the President for his address, Modi, tactfully steered clear of all controversial issues including sedition row involving JNU students and Dalit scholar's suicide at Hyderabad University. He also didn't reply to questions raised on his surprise Lahore stopover, while returning from Afghanistan.

Pulling punches and rebutting Rahul's speech, PM extensively quoted former prime ministers Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, telling the Congress to respect these elders' call, not to disrupt Parliament but function "peacefully and responsibly". Modi also presented himself as a man of ideas, and instead of limiting himself to a political speech, suggested to reserve March 8 (International Women's Day) exclusively for women parliamentarians.

Modi also warned parliamentarians that frequent disputations were helping bureaucrats to go scot-free, adding that the executive, the bureaucracy, was no longer afraid of the MPs. He exhorted the Opposition for "collective efforts" to make the executive accountable.

Referring to schemes of his government, he chided the Congress leaders for feeling "jealous" since they could not do in 60 years what his government has achieved in less than two years. He said an "inferiority complex" was behind the blockade of the House proceedings, claiming that the seniors in the opposition parties did not want the new talented MPs to steal the limelight if debates happen.

He also chided those making fun of 'Make in India' programme, wondering why they were opposed to something done for the nation and asked them to better point out the shortcomings in its success. "Do not damage India's image," he said quoting from Indira Gandhi's speech in 1974. It was again Indira Gandhi who flayed those opposed to rapid changes initiated in her times in 1968, Modi said.

Modi was cheered throughout by the ruling benches. Rahul Gandhi felt so embarrassed by the loud jeers when he got up to go to the loo that he returned to his seat and went out only when Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge was seen signaling him to better go and ease himself. The ruling MPs shouting down anybody trying to intervene prompted Modi to turn to them to admonish: "Yes achchha nahi hai (It's not good)."

Just to slam the Left members siding with the Congress in disrupting the House, Modi quoted former Speaker Somnath Chatterjee, to highlight worries about blocking of Parliament. He invoked Nehru, Indira and Rajiv Gandhi only to plead with the Opposition not to block the legislations for the good of the people.

Referring to many Bills passed in the Lok Sabha and stalled in the Rajya Sabha where the government is not in a majority, he said the nation must know why some Bills are passed (in one house) but could not go further. Why block the National Waterways Bill, GST Bills "that you claim are your own baby", Consumer Protections Bill and Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code. "When a Congress member shouted kathni aur karne me antar hai (difference in talk and action)," Modi quipped with "thanks" for adding one more certificate to so many he got in the last 14 years.

In an obvious attack on Rahul, the PM said some people appeared reluctant to learn with age. "Some people learn with age but some don't." Again, without taking his name, Modi recalled how the Congress leader had in 2013 torn a controversial Ordinance on the convicted MPs before mediapersons. He ended the narration with an advice to Rahul: "Please learn to respect elders". But, soon reached out to the Opposition, saying "let us walk shoulder to shoulder".

"I am new, you are experienced. Come, let us work shoulder to shoulder and do something for the country," he concluded.

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