Asks Opp to correct ‘mistake’ in Shah Bano case, back triple talaq Bill
Making a scathing attack on the Congress for what he described as its “rootlessness” and culture of lauding only one family to the exclusion of others, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday affirmed that his Government would continue its fight against corruption and “follow law” in the cases involving Congress leaders as he asked Opposition party to correct its past “mistake” in the Shah Bano case and support the triple talaq Bill in Parliament.
In his first address to the Lok Sabha after being voted to power for the second-time, Modi stressed he had a dream of a Modern India with new infrastructure, ease of living for common men and equal opportunity to rural and urban Indians.
In a sharp retort to Congress’ Adhir Ranjan Chowdhary’s speech in the Lok Sabha where he said though low in numbers Congress never lost its height, Modi said the Congress has gone so high that it has lost its roots.
“Aapki uchayi apko mubarak, aap itne uche chale gaye hain ki jad se ukhad gaye hain aud aapko jameen dikhna band ho gaya hai,” (let Congress be contended with its so-called height, it has turn rootless and lost ground), the Prime Minister said, adding “We don’t need that kind of height and would always like to be grounded.”
Replying to the Motion of Thanks to the President’s address, the PM lashed out at the Congress for accusing him of not mentioning the first PM of the country Jawaharlal Nehru, saying he would perhaps be the first premier of the country who in his speech from the Red fort had praised the contributions of all Governments since Independence.
Interestingly, Modi concluded his address with Nehru’s quote saying “citizens should be mindful of their responsibilities while demanding their rights”. He posed a counter-question to the Congress whether it had for a single-time praised NDA Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
“Let alone praising us, please tell, did you even for once praised your own leaders Narsimha Rao or Dr Manmohan Singh ?” he asked. “Why no Bharat Ratna given to Rao or Singh,” he asked and went on to say it was the BJP that awarded Bharat Ratna to Pranab Mukherjee, a Congress leader. Modi alluded that in the Congress praise is reserved for only one family.
Modi recalled what he called a retrograde role of Congress in not implementing common civil code in 1950 and missing out the opportunity and thereafter in 1985-86 again not allowing women empowerment in the case of Shah Bano where the Supreme Court had given full support.
Having criticised Congress for its past “mistakes”, the PM invited the Congress to “correct” itself and support the Muslim women (protection of rights on marriage) Bill which the BJP introduced in the Lok Sabha this week. The PM, however, did not leave the issue relating to Muslims without a final sting when he quoted a Congress Minister making a disparaging remark against the community during the Shah Bano controversy.
“Musalmano ke uthhan ki jimmedari Congress ki nahin hain, if they want to lie in gutter, let them be...” (it is not Congress responsibility to uplift Muslims, it they want to lie in gutter let them be.), Modi quoted a Congress leader as saying amidst loud protests from Congress benches. “I will send you a youtube link of it,” Modi responded to the protest.
On Adhir’s apparent challenge to the Modi Government as to why it did not arrest Congress leaders (Sonia and Rahul) if they had done wrong, the PM said it was for the judiciary to decide, and hastened to add “Jamanat milti hain to enjoy karein”.
Recalling that today was June 25, the day Emergency was imposed by the Congress, Modi said this was a black spot on democracy, it also prompted people to show their maturity in rising above the barriers of caste, language or religion to vote out the Congress and re-establish the democracy.
Modi said by the time India complete its 75 years of Independence in 2022 when Mahatma Gandhi’s 150 birth anniversary would also be celebrated, all should together work for a new and modern India.
He said effort should be as how India reached five-trillion economy and gave a slogan of “Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan aur Jai Anushandhan”. Modi said India has 200 years of manufacturing of weapons. “We had 18 weapon factories when China had none. But today China exports arms and we import them,” he said and sought that the country invests into research.
The PM made a special plea for vigorous effort to regenerate and save every drop of water.