New Delhi: In a fiery address to the Rajya Sabha, Prime Minister Narendra Modi unleashed a blistering attack on the Congress, accusing it of making “stealing” a family tradition – even claiming the surname of Mahatma Gandhi, the iconic Gujarati leader.
Delivering his nearly 100-minute reply to the Motion of Thanks on the President’s Address on Thursday, PM Modi lambasted the Opposition amid noisy protests and an eventual walkout by several members. “Chori karna unka pushtaini dhandha hai… Inhone to chura liya Gujarati Gandhi ji ka surname bhi,” he declared in Hindi, translating to: Stealing is their ancestral profession… Shockingly, they have stolen the surname of a Gujarati – Mahatma Gandhi.
The sharp jibe targeted the Nehru-Gandhi family, implying they appropriated the revered name for political mileage despite no direct lineage to the Mahatma. Modi contrasted this with his government’s forward-looking vision for a ‘Viksit Bharat’ (Developed India), accusing past Congress regimes of misleading people with empty slogans like ‘Garibi Hatao’ while prioritising self-interest.
The remark came amid broader barbs, including references to Opposition slogans wishing him harm and criticism of Rahul Gandhi’s past statements.
As Parliament’s budget session heats up, Modi’s comments have reignited fierce political sparring, with the Congress yet to issue a detailed rebuttal on this specific allegation.
The speech, laced with sarcasm and pointed humour, highlighted the deepening divide between the ruling BJP and the Opposition ahead of key legislative battles.