New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi slammed the Opposition for walking out of Rajya Sabha during his reply to the Motion of Thanks to the President’s address on Wednesday, saying they “can only run away” and are unable to listen to replies to their own questions.
The walkout, led by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, occurred after Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar refused to allow Kharge to intervene during the Prime Minister’s address. The Opposition’s departure followed PM Modi’s shap comment aimed at former Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, accusing her of running the Manmohan Singh government from behind the scenes.
“These people are used to running the government on auto-pilot and remote control. They don’t believe in working; they just know how to wait,” PM Modi said. He added that his government would build on the efforts of the past decade, describing those years as merely an “appetizer” before the “main course” of their work began.
During PM Modi’s speech, Opposition MPs demanded that Kharge, the Leader of the Opposition (in Rajya Sabha), be allowed to intervene, chanting slogans like “LOP ko bolne do” and “jhoot bolna band karo” (stop lying). Kharge also repeatedly requested an opportunity to speak.
Chairman Dhankhar condemned the Opposition’s conduct, calling it “unparliamentary.” He urged them to take their seats, but the slogans continued. Modi paused and remarked, “Chairman, the country is watching. Those spreading lies do not have the guts to listen to the truth. They are insulting the Upper House and its traditions.”
Dhankhar further criticized the Opposition, stating, “I gave the Leader of the Opposition the opportunity to speak without disruptions. They did not leave the House; they left decorum. They did not turn their backs to me but to the Constitution. I condemn their conduct.”
PM Modi also targeted the Congress over the Emergency, emphasizing their opposition to the Constitution. He referenced the 1977 Lok Sabha election held after the Emergency, saying it was the country’s way of restoring democracy. “In 1977, the country showed that democracy runs in its veins,” he said, adding that the current government is up to the task of defending the Constitution.
