Modi In Parliament: PM Responds To NEET Row; Slams Rahul Gandhi Over 'Violent Hindus' Remark

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said the people have given his government a mandate for stability and continuity for the third consecutive term after testing it on every criterion.

Replying to a two-day debate on the President's address to both houses of Parliament, he said the people have seen the dedication with which his government served them for 10 years.

"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," Modi said in the Lok Sabha, amid vociferous protests by the opposition.

The prime minister said India's prestige has increased and the country is being looked up to by the world.

PM Modi, at the fag end of his speech, condoled the deaths in the stampede in Hathras, Uttar Pradesh.

"I express my condolences to those who lost their lives in this accident. I wish for the speedy recovery of all the injured. The administration is engaged in relief and rescue work under the supervision of the state government. Senior officials of the central government are in constant touch with the Uttar Pradesh government. I assure everyone through this House that the victims will be helped in every way."

PM Modi asked INDIA bloc parties running state governments to have healthy competition with NDA-run states in governance and economic parameters.

Over the NEET-UGC NET row, PM Modi said the government is serious about dealing with paper leaks and assured strict action against perpetrators. He assured students all matters will be addressed.

He also said investigative agencies have carried out nationwide operations to nab those responsible for the leaks.

Responding to criticism over the Agniveer scheme, PM Modi said the government is working to make India's defence forces stronger to deal with new challenges and alleged the opposition is misleading youth over the new recruitment process.

PM Modi slammed Congress MP Rahul Gandhi over his remarks in Lok Sabha yesterday, saying the "attack on Hindus will never be forgiven".

"There is a conspiracy going on. It was said Hindus are violent. Is this your belief. India will never forget this."

Modi again targeted the Congress over the Emergency imposed by Indira Gandhi, saying the party has failed to own up the wrongdoings of that era and has a dictatorial mindset.

"...A new drama has been started to gain sympathy but the country knows the truth that he (Rahul Gandhi) is out on bail in a case of embezzlement of thousands of crores of rupees. He has been convicted in a case of calling OBC people thieves. He had to apologize after making irresponsible statement in the Supreme Court. There is a case against him for insulting a great personality like great freedom fighter Veer Savarkar... Today the country is telling him, tumse na ho payega."

PM Modi alleged Congress propagated calls for anarchy if the results on June 4 were not in favour. He also said the party tried to create divisions and sow doubts over India's democracy.

PM Modi said Congress and its ecosystem is trying to impress upon people that they have defeated the NDA.

"People's mandate for Congress is to sit where it is, in opposition. Congress could not cross 100-mark for three times in row. The party has become a parasite who gained seats after eating into votes of allies."

PM Modi highlighted the NDA's electoral success in recent polls including in Rajasthan, MP, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Sikkim.

He also took jibes at the opposition Congress party for its third consecutive Lok Sabha election and scoring less than 100 seats.

"The people of this country have given a mandate to the Congress in the 2024 elections and the mandate of this country is that you sit there, sit in the opposition and when the arguments end, keep shouting."

PM Modi said his the third term of his government will work three times faster, three times the efforts and three times the results.

PM Modi said India rose from the 10th rank in economic size 10 years ago to the fifth rank now. He said the next leg of growth will happen over his third term, and India will soon become world's third largest economy.

PM Modi said the record polling in Jammu and Kashmir is proof that the region is normal and people have accepted the new realities after the abrogation of Article 370.

PM Modi said his government's approach to terrorism is eliminating the threats in the area of operation, highlighting the surgical strikes conducted in Pakistan.

"There was a time before 2014 when terrorists could come and attack wherever they wanted. Innocent people were killed, every corner of India was targeted and the governments used to sit quietly. 2014 ke baad ka Hindustan ghar mein ghus kar maarta hain..."

PM Modi targeted the previous UPA government's record, saying inflation, policy paralysis, corruption, economic turmoil were the hallmarks of the era and the world wondered whether India can overcome its challenges.

"If we remember those days of 2014, we will realise that the people of our country had lost their self-confidence. The country had drowned in the abyss of despair. At such a time, before 2014, the biggest loss that the country had suffered was the loss of self-confidence of the countrymen and when trust and self-confidence are lost, it becomes difficult for the person, the society, the country to stand up. For some time, it used to come out from the mouth of a common man that 'nothing can happen to this country'. These words of frustration of Indians had become a kind of identity. For some time, when we used to open the newspaper every day, we used to read only news of scams..."

PM Narendra Modi said Indian voters are aligned with the government's stated goal of 'Viksit Bharat' or 'Developed India' by 2047. He said the election results have shown people agree with BJP's developmental politics.

PM Modi said while opposition parties engaged in "appeasement politics", the NDA government focused on "satisfaction" of all sections of society.

"We follow the principle of justice for all, appeasement for none," Modi said.

Lok Sabha MPs in the Opposition benches continued their sloganeering as PM Modi started his address, despite Speaker Om Birla raising objection to their conduct.

Birla chided Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi for directing members to enter Well of House in protest during PM Modi's speech

PM Modi attacked Opposition parties, saying despite running their election campaign with lies, the government was re-elected.

"The people of India gave us an unprecedented third term. People have reposed their faith on our 10 years of governance," he said.

PM Narendra Modi thanked President Draupadi Murmu for her address to Parliament last week. He also hailed the Lok Sabha elections, the world's largest democratic exercise.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has called PM Modi to take the floor and begin his address. Opposition MPs can be heard shouting slogans.

BJP MP from Delhi North-East seat, Manoj Tiwari, is currently addressing members of Lok Sabha. PM Modi is expected to address the House shortly.

Opposition MPs can be heard shouting slogans.

PM Narendra Modi arrived in the Lok Sabha to reply to the Motion of Thanks on the President’s address.

Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar condemned Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge's behavior in the upper house of Parliament on Tuesday, asserting that no one had ever shown such disrespect for the chair as he did.

“You cannot every time run down the chair. You cannot every time disrespect the chair... You stand suddenly and speak whatever you want without understanding what I am saying. Never in the history of this country and Parliamentary democracy and Rajya Sabha proceedings, there has been such disregard for the chair, as from you... Time for you to reflect... Your dignity has been attacked multiple times... I have always tried to protect your dignity,” he said.

(Source: ANI)

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav targeted the Narendra Modi government today with a speech laced with sarcasm and peppered with poetry.

While speaking in the House during the debate on the Motion of Thanks for the President's address, the Kannauj MP highlighted the critical problem of competitive exam paper leaks and emphasized that he will persist in questioning the EVM voting system, even if his party secures every Lok Sabha seat in Uttar Pradesh.

"They said '400 par' during the election. I want to thank the people and for the first time, it appears that a defeated government is in power. The people are saying this government won't survive," he said.

(Source: NDTV)

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, who delivered a fiery speech in Parliament on Monday leading to a heated response from the BJP and two interventions by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla Tuesday morning to question the removal of portions of his address.

Gandhi recognized the Speaker's right to 'expunge certain remarks' but contended that this authority should be used solely to remove "those types of words... whose nature is outlined in Rule 380 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Lok Sabha".

"I am, however, shocked to note the manner in which considerable portions of my speech have been simply taken off from the proceedings under the garb of expunction. I am enclosing relevant portions of uncorrected Debates of Lok Sabha dated July 2... constrained to state the portions expunged do not come under the ambit of Rule 380," the Congress leader told Birla.

The Leader of Opposition was speaking during the debate on the Motion of Thanks on the president's address to a joint sitting of Parliament. Holding up pictures of Lord Shiva, Guru Nanak, and Jesus Christ, he referred to Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism, Christianity, Buddhism and Jainism to underline the importance of fearlessness.

(Source: NDTV)

The Prime Minister on Tuesday morning addressed the NDA parliamentary party meeting that was attended by top BJP leaders and ministers. This was his first address to NDA MPs since he took over as Prime Minister for the third term in a row.

Speaking to the press following the meeting, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju mentioned that NDA MPs extended their congratulations to the PM on securing his third term and pledged their unwavering support.

"The Prime Minister gave us an important message. He said that all MPs have come to the Parliament for service to the nation and asked NDA MPs to prioritise this. He also guided us on how to conduct ourselves in the House," the minister said.

(Source: NDTV)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will speak in the Lok Sabha at 4:00 p.m. today to reply to the Motion of Thanks on the President’s address. The PM has asked MPs of the ruling NDA to follow the rules of Parliament and ensure that their behaviour on the House floor is exemplary.

Modi's speech will come a day after Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi's remarks created ruckus in Lok Sabha. Gandhi launched a scathing attack on the BJP on Monday, accusing its leaders of attacking the Constitution, misusing probe agencies for the political gains, and ideological positions over Hinduism.