In Lok Sabha, Modi targets Congress, says NDA will win 400+ seats in 2024 polls: Top quotes from PM’s speech

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The debate on the Motion of Thanks on the President’s address began on Friday and concluded on Monday.

Here are the top quotes from PM Modi’s speech in Lok Sabha today

On the President’s address to the Parliament: PM Modi said President Droupadi Murmu gave an account of pace of the country’s progress.

On the Opposition: The PM said that “speeches of the Opposition members strengthened the view that they have decided to remain in opposition for a long time”. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that Congress wants to “cancel” everything including Atmanirbhar Bharat, Vande Bharat, Central Vista, etc.  Modi also said that the Congress party prevented its young generation from rising through the ranks. “We need a trustworthy opposition in the country,” he added. He said that he “appreciates” the opposition’s commitment to their promises.

“They have pledged to stay outside the Parliament. Your dedicated efforts are recognised, and I assure you that the people, who are the embodiment of divine will, will determine your position,” he added.

On dynasty politics: Taking a jibe at the Congress, he said, “Kharge has shifted from one house to another, and Ghulam Azad has switched parties. All of this is due to dynastic politics. Now, the time has come to close their shop.”

On India’s economy: “I say with confidence that in our third term, India will become the third largest economy in the world. This is Modi’s guarantee,” he said.

“Startups, digital creators, unicorns, gig economy – these are the new vocabulary of the new Bharat. Today, India is a leading digital economy,” the PM added.

On BJP’s work for the poor: PM Modi said that 25 crore people had been lifted out of poverty in the last decade under the NDA government. “If given the means, the poor have the power to defeat poverty themselves,” the PM said, adding that the BJP government had provided them with the opportunity to do so. “This approach has not only uplifted the poor but also instilled a sense of self-respect among them,” Modi said. He added that at present, 50 crore individuals from economically disadvantaged backgrounds have active bank accounts, and 4 crore families have been provided permanent (pucca) houses.

On BJP’s prospects in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls: The PM expressed confidence that the “Bharatiya Janata Party would win 370 seats, while the National Democratic Alliance will secure a total of 405 seats in 2024 Lok Sabha elections”. He further reiterated that the “third tenure” of the BJP would lay a strong foundation for the “progress to take place in the next 1,000 years”.

On fast pace of development works: The PM, while targeting the Congress, said that the rate of growth today is unimaginable for the Opposition party. “We built 4 crore houses for poor and 80 lakh urban poor. Had Congress built these at its own pace, then it would have taken them 100 years to complete this task,” Modi said. “With the pace of the Congress party, this would have taken three generations”.

In the second term (2019-24), “we have laid the foundation of new India and in the third term, we will move towards Viksit Bharat (Developed India),” he added.

He also said about 25 crore people have come out of poverty, and EPFO (Employment Provident Fund Organisation) data indicate that 18 crore new subscribers have been added. India today has become a hub of innovation, research, and manufacturing and “we need” to become self-reliant in green energy and take lead semiconductors as these initiatives would create quality jobs, Modi noted. The PM hoped that the semiconductor sector would attract huge investments in the coming years, and in that segment, India will contribute significantly. Efforts are on to skill people to prepare them for Industry 4.0, he said.

On more opportunities to OBCs: “During the UPA Government, an extra-constitutional body was formed. The government could not have its way before that body. National Advisory Council – did it have any OBC members?”, the PM questioned.

“Congress party and UPA govt did not do justice with OBCs. A few days ago, Karpoori Thakur ji was conferred with Bharat Ratna. In 1970, when he became Bihar CM, what not was done to destabilise his govt. Congress can’t tolerate OBCs…They keep counting how many OBCs are there in govt. Can’t you (Congress) see the biggest OBC here?”, Modi said.

On inflation: The PM hit out at the old Congress regime, saying that inflation used to be in the double digits during the Congress era. “History is witness that whenever the Congress comes to power, inflation follows,” Modi said, adding that “We have kept the inflation under control” despite two wars and the Covid-19 pandemic.