Omkar Dattatray
The Prime Minister Narendra Modi has addressed in both the houses of the temple of democracy -the parliament while giving thanks on the presidential address. The address of Modi on the motion of thanks to presidents address is a formality and clearly and amply showed and exhibited that the whole address of Modi was an exercise in advertisement and propaganda which are core to Modi’s way of working and his address in both the august houses of the parliament was nothing but an exercise in advertisement of the BJP government. Modi’s address clearly showed that it was nothing short of using jugglery of words in which Modi has got high expertise.
Therefore Modi did his jugglery of words to browbeat and denounce the opposition especially the congress whose Bharat Jodo Yatra has given sleepless nights to ruling BJP which seems to be upset and uneasy since congress leader Rahul Gandhi completed his crucial social march successfully by hoisting the national tricolor in Srinagar to remove hatred between the communities for uniting the country and fighting the divisive forces. Modi with his art of oratory and jugglery of words in both the houses of the parliament tried to silence the opposition. The congress under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi and all most all the opposition parties were demanding a discussion on the important issue of Adani crisis which has adverse consequences on the health of the economy of the country.
The opposition was not only demanding a discussion on the crucial subject of Adani crisis but were also demanding the constitution of joint parliamentary committee to probe the link between Modi and Adani and its adverse implications on the health of the economy to laybare the whole truth.But Modi government is shying from holding a discussion on the stock rout of Adani Group and its bearing on the economy which has hardly recovered from the slowdown of economy due to the challenge of covid.For fear of losing the friendship of the big business tycoon Adani,Modi declines to hold the discussion on the Adani crisis.
It has become crystal clear that Modi government is trying to protect and shield the industrialist friend of Modi-Adani.The address in both the houses of parliament by PM Modi showed that he only tried his best to belittle the contribution of congress government in its 54 years rule as if the grand old party which is credited with the huge contribution in the freedom struggle of the country has done nothing or very little for the development of the country and its people.Modi only projected the achievements of his rule from 2014 and said that congress has not done anything for the country in its long stint in power at the centre and in many states.The political Pundits opine that the BJP is nerved over the success of Rahul’s Yatra as though it was a social march but it set in motion the revival and rejuvenation of the congress which the party needs today and in future to fight the hegemony and monopoly of BJP in the countrie’s political landscape.
Modi took the opportunity to recall his Ekta Yatra of 1992 when he along with the band of BJP activists hoisted national flag in Lal Chock Srinagar amid terrorism and he has recalled his Yatra only to belittle the crucial Bharat Jodo Yatra of Rahul Gandhi which recently culminated in Srinagar with the participation of a large number of people and political leaders of various hues.
The whole nation knows it well that the sound and strong foundation for industrial and economic development has been laid by the congress government headed by Pt Nehru and his contribution in the nations development and progress cannot be exaggerated how much the Modi and his BJP will try to defame and denounce the congress and its role in the development.It is very disturbing that in Modi’s Scheme of things and working style there is the absence of dissent while the fact is that dissent and opposition is the soul and essence of democracy.
Thus Modi and his BJP is doing a great disservice to the very cause of democracy by denying the right of dissent to the opposition.
It is very unfortunate that the space for dissent,difference of opinion and even opposition is shrinking but Modi takes pride that too false in saying that democracy has been strengthened during his two term rule.In Lok Sabha Modi tried to downplay the crucial Bharat Jodo Yatra of Rahul Gandhi by recalling and making reference to his Ekta Yatra of 1992 when he hoisted the national flag in Lal Chock Srinagar.
Yes it was a big feat of Modi and the then BJP but then to downplay the unite India march of Rahul is an example of bad politics.In Raja Sabha Modi’s style of addressing and his body language demonstrated as if the prime minister was not addressing the parliament but was addressing an election rally.It does not behoove good to the PM to attack his opposition party in such a way forgetting all decorum and exhibiting his desire to remain leeched to power come what may.Telling the congress how much they spread mud on BJP,the louts will bloom so much.Modi did not stop here but attacked those leaders of the congress who are not in this world and this is nothing but petty politics.Modi said in Raj Sabha that congress government brought down the elected governments in the states manny times.
But Modi forgets that his BJP government has also dislodged the democratically elected state governments several times and so blaming congress for this is akin to the pot calling the kettle black.
Therefore Modi has no right to attack the previous congress governments for dislodging the duly elected state governments.Modi has further attacked the congress governments of turning the Raj Bhawans as congress offices.Modi does perhaps not remember or his memory is short that the BJP government all their years of rule have also filled the august offices of the governor with the RSS functionaries and this way ,Modi has also turned the Raj Bawans into BJP offices.The Modi government does not fill the governors office with competent non political faces and then try to sprinkle mud on the congress.
Modi’s telling in the Raj Sabha that he singly is heavy on the all opposition parties shows as if he is not addressing the upper house of parliament but is addressing an election rally.The crux of Modi’s address in both houses of parliament shows his non -seriousness and lack of a mature politician and it also exhibited the fear of Modi over the revival of congress and growing popularity of Rahul Gandhi after the successful culmination of his unite India march.
In fact Modi was talking like the Hitler of yore in parliament. In brief Modi’s address in the parliament was nothing more than his jugglery of words aimed at browbeating the congress and other opposition parties and the speaker should show parity and expunge the hard hitting words of Modi from the proceedings.
(The author is a columnist,social and KP activist)
