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PM invokes Nehru to corner Congress in House
Opposition Congress has been accusing Modi and the current disposition of undermining Nehru’s legacy and his contributions to making of modern India.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday repeatedly invoked Jawaharlal Nehru, country’s first PM, as he spoke on a range of issues ranging from price rise to responsibilities of people to defend the “idea of India”. In his reply in the Lok Sabha to the debate on motion of thanks on President’s Address, Modi invoked Nehru to either defend his government or take aim at the Congress.
Opposition Congress has been accusing Modi and the current disposition of undermining Nehru’s legacy and his contributions to making of modern India. Stating he is accused of not mentioning Nehru’s name enough, Modi quipped that he will fulfil the wishes of the Congress.
“I will repeatedly take Nehru ji’s name today. It will be Nehru and only Nehru. You should enjoy,” Modi said amid cheer from treasury benches.
When Congress leaders like Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury demanded that Modi talk about inflation, the PM said, “Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru said from the Red Fort that ‘There is a Korean war and it can affect us. If some disturbance takes place in the US, it too can affect us.’ He had given us up on controlling inflation. Imagine our first PM saying this when the world was not at all globalised,” Modi said.
He accused the Congress for failing to control double-digit inflation during most part of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) rule and said his government is committed to keep inflation under control.
Later in his speech, while talking about responsibilities of a government, the PM said: “Nehru said, ‘I am telling you again. This is independent India. We celebrate the birth of independent India. But responsibility comes along with independence. It’s not only the government’s responsibility but free people also have responsibility. If you don’t understand this, you have not fully understood the meaning of independence and you can’t save independence.’ This is what he said,” the PM quoted from Nehru’s Independence Day address.
Last week, in his speech, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi pointed out that the Preamble of the Constitution defines India as a Union of States. On Monday, Modi quoted Nehru’s description of the nation and said how despite various languages how it has kept its own identity. “Despite the differences, they are united...” it is in his book Bharat ek Khoj, Modi said.
