Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday took a jibe at the Congress with the “dynastic politics” card. In a blog published on narendramodi.in, the Prime Minister said that institutions of the country have been the biggest casualty of dynastic politics.
“The biggest casualty of dynastic politics are institutions. From the press to Parliament. From soldiers to free speech. From the Constitution to the courts. Nothing is spared,” he wrote in a tweet while sharing his article.
In his hard-hitting write-up, the PM drew attention to the days of the Emergency, corruption and the recent questions raised by the grand old party on operations carried out by the armed forces.
Recalling the 2014 Lok Sabha elections which brought his party to power at the Centre, the PM wrote, “Indians were tired of our beloved nation being in the Fragile Five, where corruption, cronyism and nepotism made headlines instead of anything positive. India voted to shed the baggage of the past in pursuit of a better future.”
Underlining the achievements of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in the Centre, the PM said that the Indian economy has been the cynosure of the world’s eyes over the last five years.
“India has made remarkable achievements in sanitation coverage (from 38% in 2014 to 98% now), banking the unbanked, financing the un-financed, building futuristic infrastructure, homes for the homeless, providing healthcare for the poor and educating the youth,” he wrote.
“When a Government works with the spirit of ‘India First’ instead of ‘Family First’, it shows in its working,” the PM added.
Slamming the Congress for the Emergency declared by the late former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, Modi said that the “setting sun of 25 June 1975 took with it the democratic ethos of India”.
“A hurried radio address by the then Prime Minister showed the extent to which the Congress can go to safeguard the interests of one dynasty,” he wrote referring to Indira’s broadcast proclaiming the Emergency.
Commenting on the manner in which courts were treated under successive Congress governments, the PM wrote, “The 42nd Amendment put curbs on the courts, covering the Parliament and more. Congress’ contempt for the courts is anyway legendary. It was Mrs. Indira Gandhi who called for a “committed judiciary”, which seeks to make the courts more loyal to a family than to the Constitution.”
The PM said that the Congress overlooked several respected Judges while appointing the Chief Justice of India.
“Congress’ modus operandi is simple – reject, discredit and threaten. If a judicial verdict goes against them, they reject it, then they discredit the judge and thereafter, talk about bringing impeachment motions against the judge,” the PM wrote.
Modi also recalled that former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi had once called the Planning Commission led by Dr Manmohan Singh “a bunch of jokers”. Manmohan Singh would go on to become the Prime Minister of India and lead a Congress-led UPA government for two terms.
Hitting out at Congress president Rahul Gandhi without naming him, PM Modi recalled how during a press conference “a policy decision taken by no less than the Union Cabinet was torn into pieces by someone who was not a member of any ministry”.
“When a top Congress leader calls the Army Chief a Gunda and is subsequently promoted in the party rank and file, it shows their scant regard for the forces,” the PM wrote.
“When our forces strike at terrorist elements, Congress leaders accuse the political leadership of doing ‘Khoon Ki Dalali’. When our air warriors strike at terrorists, Congress questions that too,” he added, referring to the 2016 surgical strikes and the recent airstrikes on a Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terror camp in Pakistan’s Balakot by IAF.
He said that the Congress does not believe in internal democracy and if a leader dares to dream to head that party, he or she is shunted out of the Congress.
The PM concluded his blog urging people to “remember the past and how one family’s desire for power cost the nation so greatly” when they go to vote in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.