Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday launched a blistering and wide-ranging attack on the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, accusing rival parties of spreading hatred, insulting communities, shielding corruption, and putting politics above the nation’s future.
As Opposition MPs created repeated disruptions, PM Modi accused them of masking hatred behind slogans of democracy and love. Taking a sharp swipe, he said,
“They are moving with the mantra of ‘Modi teri khabr khudegi’. They dream of this and speak of democracy. They put up signboards of ‘Mohabbat ki dukan’. Is such hatred harboured in public life?” Hitting back at allegations of centralized power, the Prime Minister added,
“Their government used to operate with a remote. My government operated with a remote too. 140 crore people are my remote.” The Prime Minister then turned his focus to an incident involving a Congress leader, delivering one of his strongest remarks of the session. Referring to the Congress “Yuvraj”, PM Modi said, “What happened yesterday – the ‘Yuvraj’ of Congress who has ‘shaatir dimag’, called an MP of this House a ‘traitor’. His arrogance is at its peak.”
He questioned why the remark was selectively aimed and linked it to religious identity, saying,
“He did not call anyone else who has left the Congress a traitor. But he called the MP a traitor because he is a Sikh. This was an insult to the Sikhs, an insult to the Gurus.”
PM Modi further escalated the charge, stating,
“This was an expression of the hatred for Sikhs that is filled in the Congress… He is a member of the family who sacrificed themselves for the country. Just because he changed his political ideology, he became a traitor?” Calling the word “traitor” unacceptable in a democracy, the Prime Minister asked, “This is not a small word. How can the country tolerate a citizen being called a traitor? This is highly unfortunate.”
He warned that such behaviour would damage the party itself, adding,“Such people will sink Congress.”
Expanding his criticism to other Opposition parties, PM Modi mocked allegations made against the Centre and turned the spotlight back on state governments. Referring to one MP’s remarks, he said, “One of the MPs was saying a lot of things. His entire government is drowning in liquor. Their ‘sheeshmahal’ became a reason for hatred in every household.”
Drawing a comparison with past regimes, he added, “Be it Congress, TMC, DMK, Left – they were in power at the Centre for decades. They were also in power in states. But during their time, Bofors was mentioned when deals were discussed.” Responding directly to comments from Trinamool Congress MPs, PM Modi said,
“Colleagues from TMC said a lot of things. But they should look within themselves. A cruel government is making new records in all the parameters of downfall. But they are lecturing us here.” He accused the West Bengal government of ignoring public welfare, stating, “Future of the people there is plunging into darkness but they do not care. They have no aspirations besides being in power.”
On the issue of illegal infiltration, the Prime Minister made a strong national security argument, saying,
“Prosperous nations of the world are driving out illegal residents from their country. But in our country, pressure is being put on the courts.” Ending on a sharp warning, PM Modi asked, “How can the youth of our nation forgive such people who are using everything possible to advocate for the infiltrators?”
