‘Modi worships those ignored by everyone else’: Prime Minister in Parliament

Stepping up his attack on the Nehru-Gandhi family and the Congress, he accused the party of spreading the “poison of casteism” and of not honouring the demands of the backward classes because it did not suit its politics of “appeasement” and policy of “family first”.

His government, on the other hand, had worked for the uplift of the marginalised Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes, he said. While the Congress model of politics was one of appeasement, that of his government was ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’, he said.

In a speech that lasted a little over 90 minutes, Modi listed the NDA government’s efforts to empower the marginalised communities. “It is our government which strengthened the Act to protect the SC and ST communities. Attempts have been made, and are being made to spread the poison of casteism. For three decades, OBC MPs of both Houses from all parties kept demanding a commission for OBCs but it was rejected because, perhaps, it did not suit its (Congress) politics at that time. We gave constitutional status to this OBC commission,” he said.

He said whenever reservation was given earlier, there was tension in the country. But his government, he said, gave 10 per cent reservation to people from the general category without any tension. “Even the SC, ST and OBC communities welcomed this decision. There was no trouble and the entire country accepted the decision,” he said.

He accused the Congress of not respecting Dr B R Ambedkar and said its anger towards him is well documented. “They did everything in their capacity to defeat Babasaheb in elections and he was not considered good enough for the honour of Bharat Ratna. We respected Babasaheb Ambedkar and today, out of compulsion, Congress is now forced to say ‘Jai Bhim’,” he said.

Babasaheb Amebdkar, Modi said, understood the fundamental problems of SC and ST communities and presented a roadmap for their development using industrialisation and skilling workers. He said while the Congress did not pay heed to Babasaheb’s thoughts and suggestions, his government had been following Ambedkar’s vision through various schemes.

“Empowering all communities which was Babasaheb’s dream, we have fulfilled this dream through schemes like Mudra Yojana. Jiski kisi ne nahi poocha, usse Modi poojta hai (Modi worships those ignored by everyone else). Even if you see this Budget, the announcements are going to benefit the poor and marginalised. Take the scheme for toys, for instance. Several poor families will be given assistance,” he said.

“Through Mudra Yojana, we have given loans without guarantees for people who want to fulfill dreams of Atma Nirbharta (self-reliance). We also started Stand-Up India for SC, ST women and other women, to give Rs 1 crore bank loans without guarantees, to start their own work… Lakhs of our sisters and brothers have become entrepreneurs using this scheme and they have also employed others.”

To focus on bringing the marginalised communities into the mainstream, the government, he said, turned their attention towards the country’s frontline and border regions. “In the last term, I sent my ministerial colleagues to live in remote areas, even in minus 15 degree Celsius weather,” he said.

Continuing his criticism of the Congress, Modi said that the party did not respect the Constitution makers and their ideals, and was therefore questioning the rationale of the Uniform Civil Code.

He cited instances of overreach during the Congress-era, ranging from Jawaharlal Nehru’s constitutional amendments to curb freedom of speech to suppression of artistic freedom during the Emergency years.

“Those who are keen on giving big speeches should remember that along with George Fernandes, people were jailed in chains. The way in which this country’s esteemed leaders were treated, it does not suit the Congress to speak of the Constitution,” he said.