Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday launched a scathing attack on the opposition in the Lok Sabha, especially against the Congress Party. PM Modi was addressing the Lok Sabha and in his address of 'Motion of Thanks' to the President slammed the Congress and reminded them of the era of their 'lost decade' 2004-2014. PM Modi's 2004-2014 reference came after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused the Government of India and the Prime Minister of favoring Gautam Adani and used the term 'Magic Happened after 2014'. The Prime Minister stated that the Congress Party is the perfect example how one can turn opportunity into a disaster. PM Modi pointed out the 2G scam, Commonwealth Scam, Double-Digit Inflation and especially Terror Attacks.
Here's what PM Modi said in his 2004-2014 analogy-
PM Modi claimed that the decade before 2014 was known as the 'lost decade' and said, "India was discussed for its blackout days earlier during UPA. There was no will to hit back at terrorists. This emboldened the terrorists... In the ten years, from Jammu and Kashmir to Kanyakumari, there was just violence and violence. Every citizen lived in fear." Coming back to the 'disappointed' lot, the Prime Minister said, "One reason is the continuous rejection by the people. Other is facts. Before 2014, India's economy was at an all-time low, inflation was in double digits." While PM Modi continued his attack on the opposition, Congress MPs raise slogans and attempted a walkout.
Furthermore, PM Modi said, "In Parliament, a lot has been talked about the Central agencies...They raised questions on National forces, questioned their valour...Compulsive criticism has taken over constructive criticism. Many people from the Opposition are joining the Congress in this."
PM Modi took a Harvard jibe at Congress. The Prime Minister said, "Yesterday too, Harvard University's study was talked about. In the past, Harvard had come out with a very important study. 'The rise and decline of India's congress party' is also their study. World's biggest universities will hold a study on the destruction of the Congress party."
Taking a dig at Mahagathbandhan, PM Modi stated that the central agencies should be thanked by them as 'ED united Opposition'.
What Rahul Gandhi had said in Lok Sabha against PM Modi?
Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday linked Gautam Adani's meteoric rise to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's coming to power and said "magic" happened after 2014 that propelled the businessman from the 609th to the second spot on the global rich list. The Congress leader's remarks drew a sharp response from the treasury benches, with Law Minister Kiren Rijiju asking him not to level "wild allegations" and furnish proof of his claims.
Speaker Om Birla disapproved of the Congress leader displaying two pictures of Prime Minister Narendra Modi - one in which he can be seen with Adani inside a plane and the other in which he is getting down from a plane which has an Adani logo on it - to highlight their alleged proximity.
Posing questions for the prime minister, Gandhi asked how many times has he travelled together on a foreign trip with Adani.
"How many times did Adani ji join you later on a visit? How many times Adani ji travelled to a country immediately after you visited the country? How many times Adaniji bagged a contract in a foreign country after your visit there?" Gandhi said.
He asked how much money Adani has given to the BJP in the last 20 years, including through electoral bonds.
Gandhi also hit out at Modi for slamming the Opposition over its criticism of the Rafale deal by allegedly overlooking the capabilities of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
"Yesterday the prime minister said at HAL that we hurled wrong allegations. But in reality, HAL's contract of 126 aircraft went to Anil Ambani, who then went bankrupt," Gandhi said.
'woh ab aa rahe hain': PM Modi takes a poetic dig at Rahul Gandhi, quotes Urdu Poet Jigar Moradabadi
Gandhi, who just completed his over 4,000 km Bharat Jodo Yatra, said people asked him how Adani got into so many businesses and succeeded, as well as what is the nature of his relationship with the prime minister.
"From Tamil Nadu, Kerala to Himachal Pradesh, we have been listening one name everywhere 'Adani'. Across the entire country, it's just 'Adani', 'Adani', 'Adani'...," Gandhi said.
He said that during the yatra people also asked him how Adani's net worth increased from USD 8 billion to 140 billion between 2014 and 2022.
"The (Adani-Modi) relationship began many years ago when Narendra Modi was Gujarat CM. When most of India was asking questions of the prime minister, was against the PM (then CM Narendra Modi), one man stood shoulder to shoulder with PM Modi, he was loyal to the prime minister and helped Mr Modi construct the idea of a resurgent Gujarat," Gandhi said.
Adani-Hindenburg report
Adani was the backbone in setting up a group of businessmen in Gujarat, he said, adding that the result was a tremendous expansion of Adani's businesses in Gujarat.
"Then the real magic starts, when the PM comes to Delhi and the real magic begins in 2014. In 2014, he was in 609th spot on the list of richest people and climbed to the second spot," the former Congress chief said.
Gandhi also raised the issue of the report by US-based Hindenburg Research, saying it alleged that Adani has shell companies abroad.
Pointing out that Adani works in strategic sectors, he said the government must find out about these shell companies as to who controls them as this is a national security issue.
The opposition has been demanding a joint parliamentary committee probe or a Supreme Court-monitored investigation into the allegations of fraud and manipulation made by Hindenburg Research against Adani's companies that triggered an unprecedented stock crash. The group has denied the charges.
Citing various examples, Gandhi alleged that the government tweaked rules in favour of Adani and said that the clause that no one without any prior experience would be involved in the development of airports was done away with.