The Congress on Tuesday made an impassioned plea to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to rein in the “hardliner elements” in BJP and Sangh Parivar, who were creating communal divide across the country.
Speaking on Motion of Thanks on President’s address in the lok Sabha, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge told an attentive Modi that “finish such people around you… your chela chapatas… before they finish you.”
He referred to Modi’s comments against “divisiveness” at a Christian conference here last week and said had he spoken such words earlier, he would not have had to opt for Ordinances as Opposition would have worked with him.
The Congress leader said it was due to Modi’s silence that US President Barack Obama “drops a bomb by reminding us about Article 25 of the Consitution”, which gives people Right to choose and propogate any faith of their choice.
“This is the first time you are here (in House) for so long and I hope you respond to these points... Recently you spoke about your Government’s commitment to People’s Right to choose their faith and propagate it. This is what we had been demanding in lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
“If you had spoken here, things would have calmed down. Your Government would not have to issue so many Ordinances and we could have worked together,” he said.
Kharge’s speech was often countered by BJP MPs. But he did not yield. The Congress leader said BJP members had brooms in their hand, but garbage in their ideas which cannot bring about ‘Swachchh Bharat’, Modi’s pet cleanliness scheme, as he raked up controversial comments made by BJP leaders.
Referring to speeches made by BJP members, he said they try to give an impression that all good things happened only during the last nine months. Most of the schemes started by the BJP Government were nothing but a “renaming” of projects started by the previous UPA Governments, he said.
Earlier, initiating the debate on the Motion, BJP MP Anurag Thakur said what the Narendra Modi Government has achieved in six months could not be achieved by successive Govern-ments in 60 years. He said inflation is at an all-time low as compared to the past 10 years.
Referring to Modi’s monthly Mann ki Baat radio programme, he said the PM has effectively used the medium, forgotten now, to directly connect with the people.
As Kharge was concluding his points, Deputy Speaker M Thambidurai ruled that the reference made to the US President by name while attacking the Government on communal harmony should be removed from the proceedings of the House.
Kharge agreed when Thambidurai explained that his remarks about Obama would remain part of the proceedings, but only his name would be removed. The proceedings would now record Barack Obama by his designation — the US President.