PM Modi defends India's global position, slams Congress over governance issues in Rajya Sabha speech

Prime Minister Modi emphasized India's growing influence and pledged a prosperous future, while accusing opposition leaders of past governance failures.

A raft of recent trade deals will open a world of new opportunities for the youth and prove that the world is tilting towards India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday, hitting out at the Opposition for sullying the image of the country on the global stage.

PM Modi speaks in Rajya Sabha (Sansad TV/ANI)

In a speech spanning nearly 100 minutes, Modi repeatedly questioned the mindset of the Congress, saying it insulted the President and Constitution, blaming the previous governments for lacking vision and willpower, and alleging that opposition leaders wanted to dig his grave because of electoral frustration.

He accused the Trinamool Congress of protecting infiltrators and said by calling Union minister Ravneet Singh Bittu a traitor, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi had insulted Sikhs. He also hinted that some in the Congress had stolen Mahatma Gandhi’s surname.

India’s growing clout on the global stage, he said, gave heft to the country, which is being seen as an “Asha ki Kiran” (ray of hope).

“Big countries are very eager to have trade relations with India. Be it the trade deal of the European Union or the recent deal with the US...The entire world is openly praising these trade deals. When we signed the trade deal with the EU, the world became more confident about the greater likelihood of global stability. After the trade deal with the US, the world became even more confident,” he said.

“My dream is to present a prosperous India to the next generation of young people.”

Modi said that when a developed country signs a deal with a developing nation, it is a sign in itself.

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“...After the second world war, a new world order was formed, now a new world order is being established and if any sociologist were to take an unbiased view of situations, they will realise that the world is tilting towards India. As a friend of the world… India is a reliable partner of many countries and we are walking towards we are playing a decisive role in global welfare,” he said.

But, he alleged, previous governments would have to answer about the mistakes made in the past. “Why was India’s condition such that no one wanted to do a deal with you? What conditions did you create?”

The PM said “a significant part” of the government’s time was being spent on correcting the mistakes of the past.

“It takes great effort to erase the image that was created in the minds of the world during that period, they left things in such a damaged state. That is why we have placed strong emphasis on future-ready policies. Today, the country is being governed on the basis of policy and strategy. Global trust in India is growing,” he said.

“Those who indulged in vote bank politics never paid attention to such issues and it is a result of this…As far as the Congress is concerned… I want to say it clearly, if you analyse the Independence Day speeches of the Congress prime minister‘s you will realise they had no vision, no idea and no willpower and the result is that the country had to suffer so much.”

Modi was speaking in the Upper House a day after pandemonium in the Lok Sabha prevented him from replying to the debate. He was acerbic in his criticism of the Congress for the administrative deficiencies during its rule and also blamed the regional parties such as the Left, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the TMC for overlooking the welfare of the people.

“Congress insulted the President. It’s shameful...Yesterday in the Lok Sabha, a discussion could not be held on the President’s address. It is an insult to the office of the President. You have insulted tribals, women, and the top post of India,” he argued.

He said papers were thrown at a parliamentarian from Assam and another from Andhra Pradesh, who was also a Dalit. “They are doing their job, but you are insulting him because he comes from a Dalit family?” he asked. He also accused the Congress of insulting Assamese icon Bhupen Hazarika.

Reiterating the government’s ambitious campaign of building a Viksit Bharat (developed India) by 2047, the PM said, just as the second half of the freedom struggle was a decisive moment in the history of Independence, the second half of the 21st century will be decisive in the formation of a Viksit Bharat.

“People are realising that we are at a crucial juncture, where we neither have to stop, nor look back…The biggest most developed countries across the world are growing old and their population is aging. But our country is touching new heights of success and development and we are getting younger,” he said, listing the advantages of India’s demography.

He compared recent economic growth to that during the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance rule and highlighted the “mountain” of non-performing assets that saddled the banking sector at that time.

“The TMC is giving us lectures, look at what they have done to their own state. The whole state is sinking into an abyss but they have no other ambition other than power,” he said.

Appearing to make a reference to chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s appearance before the Supreme Court on Wednesday, Modi said even the most developed countries did not allow infiltrators.

“In our country pressure is being put on courts for the protection of illegal immigrants. How will the youth of this country forgive such people who advocate for the rights of the illegal immigrants?” he asked.

He appeared to take potshots at the Aam Aadmi Party and said the only deals people knew earlier were akin to the Bofors deal.

“Before 2014 leaders would call, based on which banks would give loans… and the poor were sent away. Over 50% of the population had not even seen the inside of a bank. Congress leaders would make a phone call and millions would be given to people and those who got the loans thought of it as a personal property that had not to be repaid,” he said..

Training his guns at the Congress and Rahul Gandhi, without naming them, the PM made a pointed reference to the spat between Gandhi and Bittu.

“The Congress has split so many times and so many people have joined other parties but they have not been called gaddar ( traitor). This is an insult of the Sikhs and the Gurus. The Congress has deep seated hatred for the Sikhs and this was exhibited by that,” he said.

“Someone asked me the secret of my health…I said, it is the two kilograms of abuse I get everyday,” he said.

He then spent a chunk of his speech referring to a controversial slogan allegedly shouted by some students at Jawaharlal Nehru University last month.

“They talk of digging Modi’s grave, this is not merely a slogan but shows deep hatred towards me…Those talking of Mohabbat ki Dukan follow the mantra of ‘Modi teri kabr khudegi’. They dream of this and speak of democracy …Their government used to operate with a remote, my remote is 140 million people,” he said. Mohabbat ki Dukan was a slogan used by Rahul Gandhi during his 2022 Bharat Jodo Yatra.

“Why do you want to dig Modi’s grave? Is it because we ended Article 370, ended terror in the Northeast, hit Pakistan, conducted Operation Sindoor and ended Maoism? They were frustrated how Modi reached here and why he is surviving.”

“They stole a Gujarati surname, Mahatma Gandhi’s surname, and the people are now teaching them a lesson,” Modi added.