Fashion show in Parliament: Modi’s dig at Cong

New Delhi: Shortly after Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge released a ‘black paper’, highlighting the government’s “failures”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi responded that the Opposition party’s move was like a “kaala tika” for his government that will ward off the evil eye.

Soon after Congress released the document, Prime Minister Modi walked into Rajya Sabha to bid farewell to MPs whose term is about to end. Addressing the House, he mocked the Opposition’s black shirts protest. “We saw a fashion parade in black clothes. The House benefited from the fashion show.”

“Kharge ji is here. If a child does something good, if a child gets ready for a special occasion and puts on nice clothes, someone in the family puts a ‘kaala tika’ to ward off the evil eye. Over the past 10 years, the country is climbing new summits of prosperity. To ensure we are safe from the evil eye, an attempt has been made to put a ‘kaala tika’. I want to thank Kharge ji for that,” the Prime Minister said in a sarcastic response to the Congress move.

The Prime Minister praised his predecessor Manmohan Singh and lauded him for his contributions to Parliament and the country. He also referred to a recent vote in the Upper House for which the 91-year-old leader turned up in a wheelchair. “I remember, during the voting, it was known that the treasury bench would win but Dr Manmohan Singh came on his wheelchair and cast his vote. This an example of a member being alert of his duties. It was an inspirational example,” he said. The Prime Minister was referring to the vote on the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023.

During his reply in both Houses of Parliament to the motion of thanks on President’s address, PM Modi slammed the UPA government’s alleged mishandling
of the economy and its corruption and policy paralysis.
Weaving a confident narrative of hope for “Modi 3.0” – a third term in power — Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised Wednesday to put India decisively on the path of development, while focusing his attack on the Congress over its “lack of commitment” to deprived sections and to democracy; on its “outdated” “colonial mentality”, and on its alleged failure of governance while in power for decades.

Modi on Wednesday alleged that the Opposition is creating a “north-south” divide and asked the Congress to stop divisive politics. He was apparently reacting to the protest by the Karnataka government against the alleged “stepmotherly” treatment of the Centre. Opposition-ruled Kerala and Tamil Nadu have also raised similar allegations and threatened agitation.

Replying to a debate in the Rajya Sabha on the motion to thank President Droupadi Murmu for her address to the joint session of Parliament, PM Modi called Congress “outdated “ and accused it of creating new narratives to divide the country, even as he asserted that the “Modi 3.0” government will put all its might to make India a developed nation.