You laid UPA to rest in Bengaluru: Modi jibes at newly formed I.N.D.I.A

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while replying to the no-confidence motion in Lok Sabha on Thursday took a dig at the Opposition coalition- I.N.D.I.A, saying that the leaders of the bloc have laid almost one and half decade old UPA to rest last month in Bengaluru and propped up the new alliance. "I want to express my sympathy with the opposition because a few days ago you performed the last rites of UPA in Bengaluru.

On one hand, you were performing last rites, but you were celebrating too (par aap jashan bhi mana rahe the, aur jashan bhi kis cheez ka- khandha par naya plaster lagane ka)..I want to tell the opposition that you are following those who even after so many generations are not able to differentiate between Lal mirch and Hari mirch'...,” PM Modi said.

Notably, the Opposition has formed their alliance-I.N.D.I.A (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance) to take on the NDA government in the 2024 general election. Modi tore into the Congress party during his reply to the debate on the no-confidence motion, saying the people of the country had no confidence in Congress.

"People of the country have no confidence in Congress. Due to arrogance, they are not able to see the reality. In Tamil Nadu, they won in 1962 and since 1962 the people of Tamil Nadu are saying 'No Congress'. In West Bengal they won in 1972, people of West Bengal are also saying 'No Congress'. In UP, Bihar, and Gujarat they won in 1985 and the people of these states are also saying 'No Congress'...," the PM said.

Meanwhile, as the leaders of the Opposition were shouting slogans of 'Manipur', Om Birla intervened and asked them to stop. "I request you to stop sloganeering. I requested both sides earlier and you agreed upon this,” Om Birla said. PM Modi said the new opposition block has instead divided the country by erecting walls between Indians. PM Modi said the opposition added two "I" to NDA - one is arrogance of 26 parties, the other is the arrogance of Congress.

The Opposition has moved a no-confidence motion against the NDA government over Manipur. However, the NDA has a commendable majority in the House and the motion moved against them will not affect them. According to the Opposition, they were ‘compelled’ to table the motion as they wanted the PM to speak on Manipur in the Parliament.

PM Modi, while starting his speech, took a jibe at the Opposition over moving a no-confidence motion against his government saying that this is the blessing of God that a motion for floor test has been brought by the opposition.

“God is very kind and speaks through some medium...I believe that it's the blessing of God that opposition has brought this motion. I had said during the no-confidence motion in 2018 that it was not a floor test for us but a floor test for them and as a result they lost in the elections..." PM Modi said while replying to the no-trust vote.

The PM also said that Opposition's No Confidence has always been lucky for the NDA government. "In a way, Opposition's No Confidence has always been lucky for us. Today, I can see that you (The opposition) have decided that NDA and BJP will come back in the 2024 elections with a grand victory, breaking all previous records, with the blessings of the people," he said, adding that the trust of the people of the country shown in our government again and again.

Emphasising that the Congress is unable to digest how a poor family’s son became PM, he said, "The people of India gave a full majority government after 30 years. But you are unable to digest how a poor family's son became prime minister." ‘Congress ignored contributions of Sardar Patel. We constructed gigantic statue of Sardar Patel. We built PM museum dedicated to all prime ministers. They can’t digest seeing a prime minister from outside the family," PM Modi said. He further said that the Congress has no vision.

"It has been a fact that Congress has never trusted the abilities of our country. The opposition should ask how I'll make our economy the third largest in the world; if Congress thinks this will happen on its own then it has no vision,” the PM said. He also said that in 2028, when the Opposition will move the no-confidence motion, India will become the third largest economy in the world.

"A few days back, I had said that India will become the world's third-largest economy in our government's third term. A responsible opposition would have asked our plan for it or would have given us some suggestions. However, they say that this would eventually happen without any effort," he added.