Amid continued disruptions in Parliament over the Manipur issue, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday slammed the Opposition parties for their behaviour on the floor of the House, saying they seem to have decided to remain in the Opposition permanently.

Addressing BJP’s Parliamentary Party meeting, he said: “From the Opposition’s conduct, it seems they have decided to remain in the Opposition permanently. We have to work in the interest of the public and move forward.”

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Terming the Opposition as most directionless, he also had a dig at the INDIA, the new alliance formed by the Opposition, saying the people could not be misled merely by using the country’s name. In this connection, he cited the usage of the word INDIA in the East India Company, Indian Mujahideen and the banned Popular Front of India (PFI).

Briefing the media, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Prahlad Joshi asserted that India’s image has received a boost across the globe under Modi’s leadership. “Today, India’s image before the world has improved significantly and we are committed to continue working in this direction,” he added.

Despite nine years of this government, the people in India and abroad believe that this was just the beginning, Joshi said. The world was realising that it would have to deal with the same government and, therefore, many important agreements were being signed by various countries with India.

The PM expressed confidence that the BJP-led NDA would retain power in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. He also referred to the bureaucracy and said whenever there were elections earlier, bureaucrats used to become lethargic but that was not the case now. “Six months before the elections, people stop working and stop listening to politicians. The system is a little different this time around,” he is believed to have stated.

Senior BJP leader and former Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, who also attended the meeting, said the NDA was poised to retain power in 2024. ”We are proud of our Prime Minister. The country has high hopes on us and the Opposition alliance knows it is not coming to power. This sad and tired Opposition will disintegrate further.”

“PM Modi said like the East India Company, the Indian National Congress was also founded by a foreigner. He said even the Indian Mujahideen and Popular Front of India (PFI) have the word India in them,” Prasad added.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is understood to have given the BJP members half an hour briefing on Modi’s foreign trips. There was also a discussion on how the BJP cadre should celebrate the coming Independence Day.

Meanwhile, reacting to the PM’s dig at INDIA, senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi tweeted: ”Call us whatever you want, Mr. Modi. We are INDIA. We will help heal Manipur and wipe the tears of every woman and child. We will bring back love and peace for all her people. We will rebuild the idea of India in Manipur.”