‘Cancel culture to 370+ seats’: Key takeaways from PM Modi’s Parliament speech

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday (Feb 5) replied to the ‘Motion of Thanks’ on President Droupadi Murmu's address, delivered on January 31, the first day of the budget session of the Parliament.

In front of a packed Lower House (Lok Sabha) after the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) issued a three-line whip to all its MPs to remain present, PM Modi went all out in taking jabs at the opposition whilst enumerating his government's achievements over his last two terms in the past 10 years.

Add WION as a Preferred Source

Here are the key takeaways from the PM Modi's address:

Jibe at opposition

Taking a jibe at the opposition in what could be his last address in the House before the general elections, PM Modi said:"I see that many of you (opposition) have even lost the courage to contest elections. Some seats were changed last time too, I have heard that many people are looking to change their seats this time as well."

"I have also heard that many people now want to go to Rajya Sabha instead of Lok Sabha. They are looking for their paths by assessing the situation," he added.

Congress and its ‘cancel culture’

Perhaps for the first time, the term cancel culture came out of PM Modi's vocabulary as he targeted Congress.

"Congress is trapped in a cancel culture. They cancel Vande Bharat Trains, Make in India and the new Parliament building. They cancel every achievement of India," he said.

The PM also took shots at the INDIA bloc that remains on the verge of collapsing.

"There are evident signs that the alignment within the ‘alliance’ has become dysfunctional. When there is a lack of trust among alliance partners, it raises concerns about their ability to foster trust at the national level. Much of our time has been spent addressing the voids created by the Congress party, and the current state of the alliance suggests a need for reevaluation.”

Projecting BJP's seat tallyafter polls

"The third term of our government is not very far now. Only 100-125 days remain to go...I don't go into numbers but I can see the mood of the country. It will make the NDA cross 400 and BJP will definitely get 370 seats...The third term will be about taking very big decisions," said PM Modi while alluding to the Article 370 that was scrapped by his government.

Third largest economy

Apart from giving a rough estimate about the seat tally, PM Modi gave a "guarantee"that India "will become the third largest economy in the world after the US and China in his third term".

New Parliament building

The PM reflected on the new Parliament building and how it was a symbol of democracy rising in the country.

"When the President came to this new Parliament building to address all of us and the pride and honour with which the 'Sengol' led the entire procession - we were walking behind it. When we become a witness to the reflection of that holy moment of India's independence in this new tradition in the new Parliament building, the honour of democracy rises," said PM Modi.

(With inputs from agencies)