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This is an archive article published on February 25, 2015

PM Narendra Modi’s silence has stalled legislation, says Mallikarjun Kharge

Kharge also said that there would not have been any need for Modi to bring in six Ordinances.

Narendra Modi, land acquisition bill, Relgious conversion, RSS, ghar wapsi, relgious intolerance, VHP, NDA government ordinces, Mallikarjun Kharge, Arun Jaitley, BJP government, NDA government, land acquisition act, land acquisition consent clause, Land acquisition, land acquisition opposition, BJP, Congress Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge speaks in the Lok Sabha in New Delhi on Tuesday during the budget session. (Source: PTI Photo)

Tearing into Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he sat in Lok Sabha, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday said it was the PM’s silence over his partymen’s divisive remarks that had led to the stalling of several legislations in the Parliament. He added that Modi’ silence had also allowed US President Barack Obama to drop a “bomb” when he reminded India about secularism.

“Jo neta log apke aage-peeche rehte hain, unhone is vatavaran ko create kiya hai. Aap isey samapt karne ki koshish kijiye, nahin toh ve sab milkar apko samapt kar denge (The leaders around you have created this atmosphere. You try to end this, otherwise all of them will get together to finish you),” Kharge, while speaking during the motion of thanks to the President’s address, said.

Modi, who entered the House when BJP’s Anurag Thakur was speaking on the motion, heard Kharge with a straight face, not betraying even a hint of emotion. He left minutes before Kharge concluded his speech. By then, Kharge had taken sufficient jibes at him.

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“You broke your silence after many days in Vigyan Bhawan. When we were reminding the same thing in Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha…when many leaders were talking about religion, church attacks and attack on minorities… Had you responded then, everybody would have calmed down,” Kharge said.

He added: “There would not have been any need for you to bring in six Ordinances. You and the Opposition could have set that right together. But why did it stop? Because you didn’t come…you didn’t tell”.

Referring to those making inflammatory speeches, Kharge said, “Only you can stop them because either they are MPs or those who believe in you. They listen to the Prime Minister because they got elected in your name and not in BJP’s name. Had you spoken at that time, these incidents wouldn’t have happened”.

He added: “Munh mein Ram bagal mein chhuri nahin hona chahiye,” he added.

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The Congress leader also said the country “had lost out” because of all this. “There was a loss of two-three months. Whatever Acts had to be passed in these months, those couldn’t be passed,” he said.

Kharge further said: “The President of America reminds us of Article 25 which says that all faiths and religions need to be viewed equally. The Constitution says that. But if a person from outside comes and says this, what do we say? All these happened because of your silence,” he said.

He added: “The president of another country reminds us that this is how the Constitution of your country has been written, that’s why we should view all religions equally. Our Constitution is the best and we will implement it. You should have given the message then and there that nobody needs to comment on this,” he added.

Stating that “we do not need to learn lessons from others”, Kharge told Modi: “You invited him, but he said this and went. The American President threw a bomb as he was leaving. Now you need to set this right,” he said.

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