The PM Narendra Modi’s speech

On Mulayam Singh Yadav’s complaint that Assi Ghat in Varanasi has not been cleaned: “I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Was Mulayam Singh ji giving the UP government’s report card or the Centre’s report card?”

On his development claims: We are not going to claim that we have done everything in nine months. Neither do we believe that the country was born on August 15, 1947. This country is a legacy of thousands of years… governments have not made this country.”

On his party’s loss in the Delhi Assembly elections: “For the past three weeks, results of various panchayat and municipal elections have been coming from Madhya Pradesh. We had a grand victory in Assam… Punjab and Rajasthan too… Will we keep counting this?”

On the Land Acquisition Act passed by the Congress: “You had gone to the battleground using the Land Acquisition Act. Never in history has Congress got so few seats. Even during the Emergency, Congress’s condition didn’t get so bad. If you were going to win because of this Act — and had the farmers liked it — you would have won.”

On Black Money: “I feel unimaginable pleasure when I hear those — the colour of whose faces used to change at the mention of black money — talk about black money now.”

On being attacked for his foreign trips: A few times during the last session, we were made fun of. It was even said that you were being given a visa to come to Parliament. I want to tell those using such words that at international fora, some engagements are fixed which have to be adhered to… Don’t you have any issues left to criticise me on?”

Question hour with Parrikar

On DRDO projects:
The Defence Ministry on Friday put on record that major DRDO projects are running behind schedule. While the development of Kaveri engine for the Light Combat Aircraft is the most delayed project (13 years), the dual colour missile approach system for fighter aircraft is the least delayed (two years), Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar told Rajya Sabha during Question Hour.

On private companies:
The Defence Minister said that 144 Indian private companies have been issued 229 letters of intent/industrial licenses for the manufacture of joint ventures since the defence sector was opened to private players in 2001.

On Avro replacement:
The Defence Ministry has set up an independent committee to look into issues related the replacement of 56 Avro aircraft of the IAF. “A proposal to procure 56 transport aircraft as replacement for ageing fleet of Avro Aircraft… has been accorded Acceptance of Necessity by the Defence Acquisition Council on 23.7.2012,” Parrikar said.

On border roads:
Nineteen of 61 border roads have been constructed so far along the Chinese border. “Seventy-three roads are identified as strategic Indo-China border roads, out of which 61 roads have been entrusted to Border Roads Organisation… Of the 61, 19 roads have been completed,” Parrikar said.