On any other day, a leader speaking in any House of the Parliament would have given up, stopped or requested for silence from the opposition leaders. Not Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
On any other day, a leader speaking in any House of the Parliament would have given up, stopped or requested for silence from the opposition leaders. Not Prime Minister Narendra Modi. As he stood in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday to reply to the debate on the motion of thanks to President Ram Nath Kovind's speech at the start of the Budget session of Parliament, Modi was welcomed by intense sloganeering from the opposition.
But Modi continued, unperturbed, with what was arguably his most scathing attack against the Congress. Notably, it was delivered from the floor of the Lok Sabha. The anti-Modi noise from the opposition benches apparently aided combative PM to speak more against his enemy no. 1 - the Congress. Whenever the intensity of attacks on him increases, Modi gives it back to the opposition in the loudest possible way. India witnessed this during the first 50 days after demonetisation in 2016 when Modi rallied to several parts of the country, attacking all voices that questioned demonetisation.
Modi's Wednesday speech was significant for many reasons.
First, it was his maiden speech on the floor of the House in 2018.
Second, it came when the opposition Congress was upping the ante against Modi over issues like Rafale deal, lack of jobs etc.
Third, Modi's speech came in the wake of rising voices of discontent from BJP ally TDP of Andhra Pradesh, which has been demanding more funds for the state from the Centre. Modi used the opportunity to claim that problems faced by Andhra Pradesh are because of the previous Congress-led UPA government, which, Modi alleged, bifurcated the state without giving much thought. "You (Congress) created Telangana (out of Andhra Pradesh) when the House (Parliament) was not even in order. It is because of that even four years later, problems keep cropping up."
Recently, Andhra Pradesh CM Chandra Babu Naidu had threatened to leave the NDA as not much was promised for the state in the Budget 2018. However, it seems the discontent has been placated by the Centre for now.
Fourth, Modi delivered an election campaign-like speech from the floor of the House, signalling how he is gearing up for the 2019 elections - it will be a loud and long battle, starting from now.
Modi perhaps understands the best that there is still a long time to go before the next elections. He needs all the time at his disposal to take some popular schemes to the voters and counter resurgent opposition Congress' killer strategy, which surprised the BJP in Gujarat recently.
Stoking issues like caste-based reservations, temple run to gain the support of hardcore Hindus, using social media to mock and shock every Modi move, undertaking backchannel talks to unite all opposition parties - these are some of the tenets of Congress' new strategy to create an anti-Modi wave. To tackle the hopeful Congress, Modi needs a fresh strategy. His speeches in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha provided some glimpses.
Modi recalled Congress' divisive past, even blamed the grand old party for country's partition. Not just this, Modi shamed the Congress leaders for devoting all their energy to the promotion of a single family.
"Even when you (Congress) divided India, the country remained with you. For the next three-four decades you ruled, there was no opposition, no media. Radio used to sing your songs and when the TV came, it was also committed to you. Even in the judiciary, all appointments were done by you. So much Luxury!
"You spent all your time singing for one family - forgetting the history of the country, you spent all your energy for the popularity of one family. Had you had good intentions, this country would have been way ahead than it is now," Modi said.
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