Many have used ‘India’ name to loot nation: PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday launched a fresh attack on the opposition grouping Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), terming it “directionless” and saying people cannot be misled merely by the use of the country’s name, citing the usage in East India Company, which colonised India and the banned Popular Front of India (PFI).

Addressing a closed-door Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) parliamentary party meeting, he said first the British came to loot India. “The East India Company kept India in its name and looted us. In 1869, AO Hume created Indian National Congress... he built the party with India’s name to loot India.”

Modi’s reference was to British administrator Allan Octavian Hume, who was among the founders of the Indian National Congress that led the national movement.

People aware of the details of Modi’s speech said he added that terror groups also used the country’s name — Indian Mujahideen and PFI. Indian Mujahideen has been blamed for a series of blasts while the Union government outlawed PFI and its affiliates for five years last year, accusing them of radicalisation and terrorist activities.

Modi said people have now wisened up and will not be misled by nomenclature. He added that the India of 2023 will not allow itself to get looted. “It is a new India... which will not allow itself to be fooled.”

Modi called the INDIA grouping a collection of corrupt leaders and parties. He said the Opposition is frustrated and disappointed and its conduct shows that the political status quo will continue.

“It seems the opposition has made up its mind to stay in the opposition,” he added.

The people cited above said Modi referred to bureaucracy and said whenever there are elections, it becomes a little lethargic but that this was not really 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 said people realise that they have just started. “...the world and everyone know that we have just started our work and so they are taking note. The way the world is dealing with us, they know we are an emerging power and are here to stay.’’

External affairs minister S Jaishankar gave BJP lawmakers a 30-minute briefing on Modi’s foreign trips. The briefing also covered the awards and recognition Modi has received abroad.

The people cited above said Modi’s big idea for Independence Day was to ask BJP parliamentarians to bring kalash (pots) with soil and saplings from their constituencies to Delhi. “He said that they would then find a place for these saplings to be planted in the Capital... develop them and take a pledge that by 2047, India will be a developed country. We will identify a van [forest], ridge, or park for this effort so that we always remember this promise,” one of the persons quoted Modi as saying.

Modi called for the continuation of the “har ghar jhanda [the tricolour in every house]” initiative this year too on Independence Day.

He referred to the meeting of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) last week and said the alliance is the legacy of stalwarts such as Atal Bihari Vajpayee and L K Advani. He emphasised maintaining strong and cordial ties with allies.

Last week, Modi attempted to draw a contrast between the ruling coalition and the Opposition grouping at a conclave of NDA attended by 39 parties. He dismissed the Opposition grouping, saying it was a negative and corrupt alliance while the NDA has pure intent, a clear policy, and decisiveness. Hours earlier, 26 opposition parties announced their pre-poll coalition, setting the stage for a battle of alliances in the 2024 polls.

Modi’s fresh attack on the Opposition on Tuesday coincided with reports that the INDIA grouping was planning to move a no-confidence motion against the government. The reports surfaced as the first three days of Parliament’s ongoing monsoon session were washed out as INDIA lawmakers stuck to their demand for Modi’s statement on the violence in Manipur.

The government faces no threat as it has a comfortable majority in Parliament. Opposition leaders insisted that the objective of bringing the motion was to try to push Modi to speak on the Manipur issue in the House. There is no guarantee that he will speak on a specific issue when he has to reply to a no-confidence debate.

In a tweet, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi responded to Modi’s comments asking the Prime Minister to call them whatever he wants. “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.”

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge said Manipur is burning and they are continuously raising the issue but that the Prime Minister was speaking of the East India Company. “Outside [Parliament] he [Modi] speaks about East India Company but he should be speaking [in the House] on Manipur,” said Kharge in Parliament.

On Monday, ahead of the session, Modi spoke outside Parliament, and referred to the situation in Manipur too.

Union home minister Amit Shah on Monday reiterated the government’s willingness to discuss in Parliament the violence in Manipur while requesting the Opposition to let the discussion take place.

A video surfaced on July 19 showing three women being stripped and paraded in Manipur. The incident fanned fresh tensions. Ethnic violence has rocked the state for the last two months and claimed over 150 lives and left over 50,000 injured.

Disruptions over Manipur have marred Parliament’s monsoon session with Opposition leaders demanding Modi, who spoke outside Parliament and said he was pained and angry over the video, speak in the House.

INDIA grouping lawmakers have protested in the Parliament complex against the “government’s silence” on the violence while reiterating their demand for Modi’s statement. The government has insisted that Shah will speak on Manipur in Parliament.