Today’s youth not begging for jobs… IAS officer kids don’t want to be IAS: PM Modi in Lok Sabha

Accusing the Congress of keeping India “economically backward”, he said, “There was no opposition… You owned radio and TV… Even top appointments in the judiciary were made by the party… From panchayat to Parliament, you captured everything. Had you given the country the right direction, it would have progressed. But you put all your energies in the service of one family.”

He alleged that the Congress “divided the country” and the results of that action were still being suffered by the people. He spoke at length on his government’s schemes to fight unemployment, improve income of farmers and promote middle-class enterprise.

Throughout his speech, Opposition members shouted slogans and sought answers from the Prime Minister on various issues. TDP and YSR Congress MPs, initially protesting for a package for Andhra Pradesh, agreed to return to their seats when Modi arrived, on a request from Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar. Later, Congress MPs protested in the well, joined by Left and RJD MPs.

Read | Not New India, Congress wants India of Emergency, Bofors: PM Modi in Rajya Sabha

Ignoring the protests, Modi continued: “This attempt to drown my voice is going to remain unsuccessful. You need courage to hear the truth.” He said Congress keeps saying that democracy was given to the country by Jawaharlal Nehru and the party, but India had an ancient tradition of democracy.

“Do you know there was democracy during the rule of the Lichchhavi? The Baudh Sangh had a tradition of discussions and consultations. Do not insult [Kannada philosopher-statesman] Basaveshwarji whose Anubhav Mantapa was an example of democracy in the 12th century. Democracy is part of our tradition. We had a republic 2,500 years ago.”

Read | Rahul Gandhi: PM Modi should answer questions, not always accuse Opposition

He accused the Congress of “subverting democracy” through its rule and said Rajiv Gandhi insulted the Andhra Pradesh CM, “a Scheduled Caste CM”, and later N T Rama Rao. He said the Congress used Article 356 90 times to overthrow elected state governments.

Targeting Rahul Gandhi, he recalled how “a Congress office-bearer” tore up a Cabinet decision of his own PM before media. And referring to how Congressmen had asked Sonia Gandhi to become PM in 2004, he said, “Is your democracy meant only for one family?”

A Congress leader, he said, had likened Rahul’s elevation to Aurangzeb replacing Shah Jahan and the latter taking over from Jahangir. “And you talk of democracy. Don’t give us sermons on democracy.”

Slamming the Congress president for presenting the government “in wrong light” on his trips abroad, Modi said: “When you go abroad, you show the government in wrong light… Don’t you feel ashamed?… When the Indian Army was involved in a standoff with the Chinese army in Doklam, the Congress leader was speaking to Chinese officials.”

The PM said the Opposition was attacking him and the government because of the crackdown on corruption and black money. “When the corrupt and middlemen are out of work, obviously the Congress will be unhappy.”

Modi blamed the Congress for massive NPAs of banks and called it a “sin” of the UPA government. He said he was giving its details for the first time because had he spoken earlier, it would have created panic and seriously harmed the economy. “NPAs are cent per cent a responsibility of the previous government. Banks were pressured and a chosen few were given loans… and then you kept restructuring the loan,” he said. He said the Congress gave “wrong figures” because NPAs were 82% and not 36%, and added that the total advance made by banks rose from Rs 18 lakh crore to Rs 52 lakh crore. “People should now know the truth… It is the interest on what you squandered away. These are your sins,” Modi said.

Modi said “lies” were being spread about his government to create a sense of disappointment among the middle class. “Today’s middle class youth are not begging for jobs. They have self-respect. I keep meeting IAS people. They say their children do not want to become bureaucrats. They have studied abroad. They want to launch start-ups in India.”

Addressing the Congress, he said, “When you cite unemployment figures, you should also cite employment figures. West Bengal, Kerala, Odisha and Karnataka — all ruled by Opposition parties — have said one crore jobs have been created. Are you saying your government in Karnataka is lying?”

Later, the motion of thanks was passed though voice vote while Opposition parties including Congress and TMC staged a walkout.