'Urban naxals, sheesh mahal': Modi's double-barrel salvo in LS

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February 04, 2025 18:54 IST

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In a scathing attack on Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said some people are openly speaking the language of urban naxals and asserted that those who "declare a war" against the Indian State can neither understand the Constitution nor about the country's unity.

He also took a dig at Arvind Kejriwal and AAP a day before the Delhi assembly polls, saying "some parties are like 'AAP-da' for the future of the youth".

Modi asserted that while his government's schemes saved a lot of money, it was not used to build 'Sheesh Mahal'.

 

Replying to the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President's Address in Lok Sabha, he made several veiled attacks at former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, saying those who entertain themselves by getting photo sessions done in huts of the poor will find the talk about the poor in Parliament boring.

"Those who walk around with pockets in Constitution, do they know how they forced Muslim women to live in hardship. We brought in the triple talaq law to give rights to them," Modi said.

"Today some people are openly speaking the language of urban naxals. The things that urban naxals say (are being said). These people who speak the language of urban naxals, who declare war against the Indian State, can neither understand the Constitution nor about the country's unity," Modi said.

Though Modi did not name anyone, his remarks were an apparent reference to Gandhi's comments last month that "we are now fighting the BJP, the RSS and the Indian State itself".

In a veiled jibe at AAP convenor Kejriwal, Modi said some leaders focus on jacuzzi and stylish showers while his government's focus of providing water to every household.

He also said that "some parties are like AAP-da for the future of the youth" as they promise various kinds of doles at the type of elections but never fulfil them.

"Some government schemes saved a lot of money, but we did not use it to build 'Sheesh Mahal'," Modi said.

Without naming Gandhi, Modi took a swipe at him for his reaction on the President's address, saying those who entertain themselves by getting photo sessions done in huts of the poor will find the talk about the poor in Parliament boring.

Soon after the President delivered her address to a joint sitting of Parliament on January 31, Sonia Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were seen discussing the speech in the Parliament complex. During the discussion, Rahul Gandhi was heard asking Sonia Gandhi if the President's speech was "boring".

"We did not give false slogans, but real development to people," Modi said.

"Till five decades, slogans of garibi hatao were heard and now 25 crore poor have come out of poverty," he said.

He said till now poor people have got 4 crore houses.

"The one who has lived that kind of life knows what it means to have a house with a proper roof," Modi said.

"The pain of poor, troubles of common man, cannot be understood just like that; it requires passion and some just don't have it," he said in a swipe at the opposition.

"We live by the spirit of the Constitution and do not resort to politics of poison," he said.

In a dig at former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, Modi said a PM who used to chant '21st century' was so far from reality that he was unable to provide for needs of 20th century.

Modi also hailed his government's decisions in the Budget. In 2002, there was no tax on incomes of up to Rs 2 lakh and now there is no income tax on earnings up to Rs 12 lakh, he pointed out.

Modi said his government started the Ayushman Bharat for poor, but some states have stalled the scheme, leaving poor people in hardship.

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