In our 3rd term, we will work with 3X speed: PM Narendra Modi in Lok Sabha

In a scathing speech in the Lok Sabha, Modi launched a charged rebuttal of the speech delivered the previous day by Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of being childish

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday laid the roadmap for the future and promised that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) would work 24x7 for a developed India by 2047 and vowed that reforms would move at “triple speed and triple power for triple results” during his third term.

Modi announced no hurdles will deter his development plans and issued a stern warning to an anti-India ecosystem. (ANI photo)

“In our 3rd term, we will work with 3X speed and it would mean 3X power to give people 3X results”, he said replying to the debate on the President’s speech.

In a scathing speech in the Lok Sabha, Modi launched a charged rebuttal of the speech delivered the previous day by Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of being childish, of his world view being amateurish, and of trying to defame Hindus who, the Prime Minister said, have been instrumental in India’s democracy flourishing.

His reference was to Gandhi saying that some of the people who call themselves Hindu were indulging in violence. To be sure, some portions of Gandhi’s speech were later expunged.

Modi announced no hurdles will deter his development plans and issued a stern warning to an anti-India ecosystem.

“Their activities are to stop the country’s progress and derail development. I am warning them: every conspiracy will be met in the same language. This country will not tolerate anti-national conspiracies,” the PM said.

PM Modi tried to rebut the Congress’ theory that the BJP, which failed to secure majority on its own, has suffered a defeat.

“The Congress and its ecosystem are trying to establish that people have defeated us,” Modi said as he underlined that the third term of NDA is historic.

Congress’ 3rd biggest loss

The PM pointed out that in the four assembly elections held alongside the Lok Sabha polls, the NDA achieved major success.

“The NDA achieved major success. In Odisha, we formed a government. NDA had a clean sweep in Andhra Pradesh. We formed government again in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim and six months ago, we got a massive victory in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh”, he said.

Modi pointed out that the BJP has opened account in Kerala for the first time and has improved their performance in Tamil Nadu.

In some states such as Karnataka and Punjab, the BJP’s vote share has gone up.

“In 2024, people have also given a verdict for the Congress: to sit in Opposition,” Modi said even as INDIA allies stormed the Well in protest.

“For the first time, the Congress couldn’t reach 100 seats. It is their 3rd biggest defeat and it would have been better if the Congress accepted its result. But they are busy in shirshasana”, he added.

He then took aim at the Congress, a “party that had set a world record in failure”.

“The Congress has not crossed 100 seats in the Lok Sabha for three consecutive terms. Instead of conceding defeat, they are being arrogant,” he said, amid raucous protests by the Opposition.

Attempts to twist the narrative and spin their loss as a victory was like trying to pacify a child, Modi said, in an apparent reference to Gandhi.

“These days, their main job is to divert the child’s attention. After 1984, there had been ten Lok Sabha elections. But the Congress couldn’t reach the tally of 250. I remember a story: a child used to tell people he got 99 marks. But the teacher revealed that he didn’t get 99 of 100 but 99 of 543 (total seats in Lok Sabha) But who will tell the child that you have created a world record of failure?”, he said.

Modi further analysed the results and said, “From 2024, Congress is a parasite. Congress eats away the vote of allies. States where Congress were major party, its strike rate was 26%. But states where Cong was a junior partner, the strike rate was 50%”.

Governance roadmap

Stressing that confidence will become the driving force of development, Modi pitched for a strong, Viksit Bharat and said, “In our third term, we will work with triple the speed. Our third term means we will put in thrice the strength. In our third term, we will ensure three times the results”, he said.

“People have seen our intent and commitment. When a country gets developed, then the dreams of crores of people are fulfilled. Viksit Bharat means quality or life, dignity and it will make a major improvement in the urban and rural areas. Our cities will participate in global development and a developed India will also provide crores of opportunities for our people. I want to assure the country that we will work with resolute and honesty. We will work 24X7 for 2047,” Modi announced.

“The speed we achieved in the past ten years, now our challenge is to make it faster. Now we will take the economy to the 3rd position. In ten years, we transformed India into a big mobile manufacturer and exporter. Now, in this tenure, we will do the same for semiconductor. The chips for the world will be made in India, by its young people,” the PM announced, as he laid the ambitious roadmap for NDA 3.0.

Modi also pledged to construct three crore additional houses for poor and create three crore Lakhpati didis as he highlighted how 25 crore poor people have come out of poverty in past ten years and how the country has blessed the NDA for zero tolerance for corruption.

“Globally, India’s status has grown. People have seen our only aim is nation first. Our policies, our work and decisions have only one parameter: India first. We have continued with reforms. We have continuously worked with the mantra Sab ka Saath, Sab ka Vikas and Sarv path Samabhav,” the PM said as he hit out at the Opposition for its appeasement policy.

“For a long period, the country saw the appeasement model. For the first time, the country found the true model of secularism: No appeasement but gratification. When we talk about gratification, we mean, saturation of all schemes which in true sense is social justice and secularism,” the PM announced.

Modi also stressed on the pre-2014 situation in the country.

“Our biggest asset was people’s confidence, and it was lost. Unabashedly, there was an acknowledgement that of one Rupee that goes from the Centre, only 15 paisa reached the beneficiaries. There was policy paralysis, rampant nepotism and even for a gas connection, people had to run around MPs. But now, society has come out of the black hole of despair,” the PM said.

The Prime Minister said that people have started believing that “everything is possible in this country.”

“With 5G rollout, India can do anything. There was a time, when big leaders were tainted in coal scams, Now India can do anything. Major scams took place through “phone banking” (telephonic instructions by political leaders) Bank assets were looted as if it belonged to the family. After 2014, the policy changes and our commitment and speed of work turned banks into the most profitable,” he added.

“As India is progressing, challenges are new. Some people are helping powers to derail India’s growth. I want to warn the ecosystem: their activities to stop the country’s progress and derail development, every conspiracy will be met with same language. This country will not tolerate anti-national conspiracies. Whatever their claim might be for our numbers, but we didn’t back out from reforms. Modi is not going to deter from any hurdles,” the PM said.

Internal security and armed forces

The Prime Minister launched a sharp attack on the Congress for doing nothing to curb terrorism.

“Every person knows, India can do anything for her security. Before 2014, there was a time, when terrorists could attack wherever they wanted. Innocent people were targeted, and the government remained a mute spectator. Today’s India ghar mein ghuskar maara hai. We did surgical strike, air strike”, he said.

Modi launched a frontal attack on the Congress for its criticism of the Agniveer scheme and alleged that “Blatant lies are being spread on the entry in armed forces so that our young men don’t join the forces. For whose benefits, the Congress is trying to weaken our forces?”

“The Congress can never see a strong Indian army. Everyone knows how weak our forces were during Nehru’s time,” the PM said.

The PM said that soldiers are pride of the country and hailed the defence sector reforms.

“We are creating modern soldiers so that our forces give befitting reply to every challenge. After appointing the CDS, integration has improved. We are progressing in creating theatre command,” he said.

NEET

In his first public response to the raging issue of NEET paper leak case, the Prime Minister assured the nation that anyone who is “playing with the future of children will not be spared” and announced that the government is working on war-footing to make the exam system fool-proof.

“I want to tell students; government is very serious about stopping such incidents and we are taking one after another step in war-footing. Those who are playing with the future of our children and will not be spared. Centre has already made a strict law. We are taking key steps to make the exam system fool-proof,” the PM said.

The Hindu row

A day after Gandhi’s comment on Hindus raked up a major controversy, the PM dubbed it as an unabashed act that amounts to slapping common people.

“What happened yesterday, crores of people will not forgive. 131 years ago, Swami Vivekananda said in Chicago, “I am proud to belong to a religion which has taught the world both tolerance and universal acceptance. That’s why India’s democracy and diversity is thriving. But there is a conspiracy to level false allegations against Hindus,” the PM said.

The Prime Minister also hit out at Gandhi for holding up a photo of Lord Shiva “as a symbol of a deity in whom the Congress took refuge” when faced with a volley of attacks by the ruling party. “Jiske darshan hote hai, uske pradarshan nahi hote hai (the deity who is worshipped is not used to gain publicity),” Modi said.