New Delhi, Feb 4 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday addressed the Lok Sabha replying to the debate on the Motion of Thanks on the President's Address. In a no-holds barred attack, PM Modi took a swipe at the Opposition, specifically targeting the Congress party's past record.
He referred to a well-known iconic cartoon from the 1980s, PM Modi spoke about the time when the Congress regime, under former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, often underlined the need for India to be prepared for the 21st century.
Although PM Modi did not directly mention Rajiv Gandhi by name, his comments were seen as a pointed reference to the period when the former Prime Minister was heard talking about 21st century.
PM Modi recalled: "There was one Prime Minister who constantly spoke about the 21st century... at that time, R.K. Laxman made a very interesting cartoon. That cartoon was a joke back then, but later, it became a reality. It was an example of how that Prime Minister's words were 'hawa hawai' (empty talk) and disconnected from reality."
PM Modi described how the cartoon depicted an airplane labelled "An exciting trip to 21st Century" being pulled by a cart, highlighting the stark contrast between the lofty ambitions of the time and the lack of tangible progress.
The PM continued: "We are almost 40-50 years late. The work that should have been done decades ago is being completed now."
He added: "That is why, when the public gave us the opportunity, we prioritised youth development and nation-building."
The Prime Minister asserted that the work needed for the nation's progress should have been done decades ago but it is only now being completed.
He also slammed the earlier regimes for focusing on promises that remained unfulfilled, thus leaving India behind by several decades.
Highlighting the steps taken by his government, he pointed to initiatives such as the opening of the space sector, the defence sector, and various measures to foster innovation.
"We developed Startup India to promote innovation and created new plans to help young people achieve their potential," the Prime Minister said.
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