Modi mocks Opposition alliance name citing East India Company, Indian Mujahideen

Slamming the Opposition calling them “directionless”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi ridiculed the name of their alliance INDIA pointing out that merely using the country’s name meant nothing.

Giving the example of the reviled East India Company, and banned and terrorist organisations like Popular Front of India and Indian Mujahideen, he asserted that people cannot be misled merely by using the country’s name.

“I have never seen such a directionless Opposition,” BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad quoted Modi as saying at the weekly meeting of the BJP parliamentary party.

Multiple sources present at the BJP parliamentary party meeting said Modi was severe in his criticism of the Opposition amid the continuing logjam in Parliament. However, he expressed his confidence that the ruling dispensation will retain power at the Centre for a third term after the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

Prasad further said that Modi had said that the Opposition keep praising themselves for the name INDIA. “Indian National Congress. East India company. Indian Mujahideen. Popular Front of India – these are also INDIA. Just using the name INDIA does not mean anything,” he is supposed to have said.

Also read: INDIA coalition looking at sending delegation of CMs, MPs to Manipur

Further, he said the Opposition has sunk deep in despair and is directionless. The Prime Minister described the opposition as “defeated, tired, hopeless, with a single-point agenda – opposing Modi”. Its conduct suggests that it has reconciled to remain in the Opposition for a long time, Modi added. It is a collection of corrupt leaders and parties, he had reiterated.

Union minister Pralhad Joshi also told reporters that Modi likened the current atmosphere in and about India with a “new dawn”, noting the mood of optimism and hope about the country globally.

The Indian economy has grown to be the fifth largest from 10 under his government and will be the third biggest in its third term, the prime minister said, asking his party leaders to work with resolve and determination to help develop the country.

On the issue of the name of the alliance, Modi had pointed out that even the Indian National Congress, the main Opposition party, was named so by an Englishman A O Hume. Organisations, which wanted to rule and break the country, which wanted to divide it have used names like ‘India’ and ‘Indian’ to mislead people, he added.

People have now matured and will not be misled by such nomenclature, he asserted.

With the BJP accusing Opposition parties of disrupting Parliament, Modi said they have come more irresponsible, making it imperative for the ruling party to behave more responsibly.

Also read: Opposition front’s alliance INDIA now has a tagline – ‘Jeetega Bharat’

The Opposition has been demanding that Modi make a statement on the Manipur issue in Parliament first before a debate on the matter can be taken up. The BJP has insisted that it is willing for a discussion and home minister Amit Shah will reply to it, asking the Opposition to not set any precondition.

In his address, Modi also referred to the recent meeting of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance. The alliance is the legacy of BJP stalwarts like Atal Bihari Vajpayee and L K Advani, he said, emphasising on maintaining strong and cordial ties with allies.

He also asked party leaders to organise several programmes, including ‘har ghar tiranga’, in connection with Independence Day on August 15 across the country.

There is also a plan to make an ‘Amrit Van’ (Amrit forest) by bringing plants from blocks across the country, party leaders said.