NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday mounted a sharp offensive against the opposition in the Rajya Sabha, accusing it of cloaking hostility and divisive slogans in the rhetoric of “Mohabbat ki dukaan,” a phrase frequently used by Lok Sabha leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi. However, he did not provide any evidence of opposition chanting the slogan. “They are moving with the mantra of ‘Modi teri kabr khudegi’. They dream of this and speak of democracy. They put up signboards of ‘Mohabbat ki dukan’. Is such hatred harboured in public life?” PM Modi said in his motion of thanks speech. “The Congress has a deeper problem, they cannot digest how Modi has reached this position, and their worry keeps growing… For them, it seems there is only one way out: to chant, ‘Modi, teri kabr khudegi (Modi, your grave will be dug).’ They (Congress) seem to assume that democracy and the Constitution exist only for their benefit. They believe that the Prime Minister’s post belongs to their family as a matter of right. And so, they go around spreading slogans about digging Modi’s grave,” he added. Continuing his attack on the opposition, he said that unlike past governments run by a “remote,” his authority flowed directly from the mandate of 140 crore people. “Their govt used to operate with a remote. My govt operated with a remote too. 140 crore people are my remote,” he said.He further blamed the opposition for weakening institutions, prioritising political survival over governance, and pushing agendas that, he said, compromised national security and public trust, accusing them of shielding illegal infiltrators while ignoring the aspirations of the youth and the long-term interests of the country.”A significant part of our energy is being spent on correcting the mistakes of the past. It takes great effort to erase the image that was created in the minds of the world during that period, they left things in such a damaged state. That is why we have placed strong emphasis on future-ready policies. Today, the country is being governed on the basis of policy and strategy. Global trust in India is growing. Guided by the mantra of ‘reform, perform, transform,’ we have moved forward, and the reality today is that the nation has boarded the Reform Express,” he said.His speech comes a day after his Lok Sabha address was cancelled amid protests by the opposition inside the House.
