On Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made fun of the Nehru-Gandhi family for having several programmes named after them and questioned why they were “scared of maintaining the Nehru surname.” In his response to the Rajya Sabha discussion on the motion of gratitude for the President’s speech, Prime Minister Modi took aim at Congress MPs who claim the administration is attempting to downplay the importance of Jawaharlal Nehru’s contributions to India.

During his remarks, the prime minister was often interrupted by opposition supporters shouting slogans. An investigation of the Hindenburg-Adani dispute has been demanded by the opposition parties. PM Modi claimed to have read that more than 600 government programmes bear the Nehru-Gandhi family’s names. “Some had problems with the names of schemes of govt and Sanskrit words in the names. I read in a report that 600 government schemes were in the Gandhi-Nehru family’s name…I don’t understand why people from their generation don’t keep Nehru as their surname, what’s the fear and shame?” PM Modi stated. 

“If such a big personality is not acceptable to you, you ask for an account from us,” he asked. According to him, the nation was created by the sacrifice and perseverance of its citizens, as well as through the passing down of traditions down the years. The Congress was charged by the Prime Minister with overthrowing state governments when it was in power.

“Look at the history, which party and people in power misused Article 356 the most? Elected governments were toppled 90 times, who were those who did that? A Prime minister used Article 356 fifty times, and scored a half-century and that name is Indira Gandhi. In Kerala Communist government was elected which wasn’t liked by Pandit Nehru and was toppled,” he mentioned. 

“In Tamil Nadu too, governments of veterans like MGR and Karunanidhi were dismissed by Congress people. Sharad Pawar’s government was toppled too. We have seen what happened with NTR when he was in the US for treatment and attempts were made to topple his government. This was the level of Congress’ politics. They troubled every regional leader,” he added.

PM Modi also spoke about the issue of states’ economies, with some opposition parties favouring the revival of the Old Pension Scheme. “Today those who do not understand economic policies in the country, who do not think of anything other than politics 24 hours a day, who only see the work of public life in playing the games of power, have converted economic policies into disastrous policies,” he stated. 

“I want to warn them with the sincerity of the House that they (Opposition) should go to their respective states and tell them not to move on the wrong path. You see the condition of our neighbouring countries. How countries were drowned by taking loans indiscriminately. Some states have resorted to taking immediate benefits,” the PM added. He noted that there are societal inequalities between the parties and pleaded with them not to meddle with the nation’s economic stability. “We may have political and ideological differences and parties may have few complaints against each other, but don’t play with the economic health of the country. Do not commit such a sin that takes away the rights of your children,” he said.