How PM Modi fielded Rahul Gandhis barbs in Lok Sabha | Top quotes
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his speech on Tuesday returned the favour to the Opposition leader in the form of an all-out attack.

How PM Modi fielded Rahul Gandhi's barbs in Lok Sabha | Top quotes

From the President’s address to AI to India’s foreign policy to Constitution, here’s how PM Modi replied to Rahul Gandhi’s Parliament speech


Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, while replying to the Motion of Thanks to the President’s address in Lok Sabha on Monday, had slammed the government over a series of issues. Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his speech on Tuesday returned the favour in the form of an all-out attack at the Opposition in nearly two-hour speech.

Here's a look at the top quotes:

President's speech

Rahul: The Congress leader said the president’s speech was repetitive and lacked new vision.

I must say, I struggled through the President's address to maintain my attention to what was being said because I had heard pretty much the same last time and the time before that.

Modi: The prime minister defended the President’s speech and slammed Congress leader Sonia Gandhi for her “poor thing” comment at Droupadi Murmu.

Those who have photo sessions in the huts of the poor, for their own entertainment, will find the mention of the poor in Parliament boring.

A woman President is being humiliated, I can understand the political exasperation. But why target the President? What is the reason?...Today, India is moving ahead, leaving this kind of distorted mentality and taking the mantra of women-led development forward... If half of the population gets the full opportunity, then India can move ahead at twice the speed. And this belief of mine has become stronger after working in the field for several years...

Also read: ‘Read up on foreign affairs’: Modi schools Rahul, takes ‘sheeshmahal’ dig at AAP

Technological progress, AI

Rahul: Speaking about the fast progress of mobility revolution and the pivotal role of EVs, batteries, optics and AI in it, Rahul said India still needs to catch up on AI sector as it unlike China doesn’t have enough data to power the revolution.

People talk about AI, but it's important to understand that AI on its own is absolutely meaningless because AI operates on top of data. And if we look at data today, there is one thing which is very clear: Every single piece of data that comes out of the production system in the world, the data that was used to make this phone, the data that is used to make electric cars, the data that is used to make basically all electronics on the planet today, is owned by China.

And the consumption data is owned by the United States... China has at least a 10-year lead on India in this space. China has been working on batteries, robots, motors, optics for the last 10 years and we are behind...We would ensure that our banking system is not captured by 2-3 companies that basically do not allow you to build a production system.

Modi: Reiterating that India has the advantage of “double AI power,” Modi said the whole world is looking up to India’s AI mission.

Leave alone AI, 3D printing, robotics, virtual reality, we are also trying to make India the capital of the gaming industry.

For me, there is not a single AI, there is double AI, which is the double strength of India. An AI-Artificial Intelligence and the second AI is – Aspirational India.

Watch: 'Sheesh mahal, jacuzzi': Modi slams Kejriwal, Rahul; what's beyond the rhetoric?

Foreign policy

Rahul: The Congress leader spoke of strategic independence rather than seeking validation from Western leaders.

When we talk to the US, we wouldn't send our foreign minister to (get) our PM invited to his (US President's) coronation. We will not send our foreign minister 3-4 times (to say) please invite our prime minister... because if we had a robust production system and were working on technologies, the US President would come to India and invite our PM

Modi: Hitting back at Rahul, Modi suggested him to read a book on foreign policy and alleged goof-ups made under its garb when his grandfather Jawaharlal Nehru was the prime minister.

Some people think they don’t look matured if they don’t talk about foreign policy. I want to tell such people that if they have interest in foreign policy, they should definitely read a book, 'JFK's Forgotten Crisis'...This book has been written by a famous foreign policy scholar...The book mentions the first PM who also looked after foreign policy. The book speaks in details about the discussions and decisions between Pandit Nehru and the then US President, John F Kennedy. When the country was facing several challenges, what was being done in the name of foreign policy at that time has been brought out through this book.

Caste issues

Rahul: The Leader of Opposition called for fair representation of Dalits, OBCs, Adivasis in economic and political power and claimed that the OBC population in the country is at least 50 per cent.

There are two parallel tracks to focus on: firstly, ensuring the participation of OBCs, Adivasis, and Dalits in the country's governance, institutions, and equal distribution of wealth. Secondly, challenging China and participating in the revolution to emerge victorious.

Modi: The prime minister said it was his government while it is “fashion” for some to speak about caste, it was the BJP which spearheaded the movement demanding constitutional status to OBC Commission.

Also read: Budget Session | How Rahul Gandhi has rattled BJP with his new-found narrative

For some people, speaking about caste is fashion. For the last 30 years, OBC MPs have been demanding that OBC Commission be granted Constitutional status. Those who see a benefit in casteism today did not think of the OBC community back then. We granted constitutional status to the OBC Commission.

We have ensured SC, ST and OBC get more opportunities in every sector – we have worked very strongly towards this.

Electoral integrity

Rahul: He questioned voter roll irregularities and integrity of the Election Commission while raising doubts on the “inflated” electorate of Maharashtra.

Between the Lok Sabha election, which the INDIA Alliance won, and the Vidhan Sabha election, the voting population of Himachal Pradesh was added to the voter roll of Maharashtra, meaning the entire population of Himachal Pradesh was added to voter rolls of Maharashtra. Almost 70 lakh new voters suddenly arrived between Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections…I am very confident that the Election Commission will not give us this information.

Modi: The prime minister said it was the NDA government which brought transparency to the Election Commission

Earlier, PMs used to make appointments of Chief Election Commissioners at will, we brought law to involve Leader of Opposition

Also read: Is Rahul Gandhi’s Lok Sabha address a wake-up call?

Constitution

In his speech, Rahul reaffirmed his commitment to defending the Constitution and ensuring democratic governance.

Modi said his government lives by the spirit of Constitution and has walked the talk.

Our Constitution doesn’t believe in discrimination. People who carry the Constitution in their pockets don’t know how they had tied the hands of Muslim women. We abolished triple talaq and liberated them.

It is unfortunate that today some people are speaking the language of urban Naxals openly, challenging the Indian state and declaring a fight against it. Those who speak this language neither understand the Constitution nor the unity of the nation.

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