We don't believe in appeasement, PM Modi tells Lok Sabha

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses the Lok Sabha during the ongoing parliamentary session, in New Delhi on June 2, 2024 | Photo Credit: ANI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on July 2 that the people had given his government a mandate of stability and continuity for the third consecutive term after testing it on all criteria.

Replying to a two-day debate on the President's address in both houses of Parliament, he said the people had seen the dedication with which his government had served them for 10 years. “In our third term, we will work three times faster. Our third term means we will put in three times more effort. In our third term, we will ensure three times more results,” Mr Modi told the Lok Sabha, amid vehement protests from the opposition.

Accept people's mandate, Modi tells opposition

He said the mandate of the BJP's rivals was to remain in opposition and keep shouting after exhausting their arguments. Try to honestly understand the mandate of the people and accept it. I urge the Congress to accept the mandate and not hide behind fake victory celebrations, he said.

The Prime Minister said: “The people of the country have given us this mandate after testing us on all criteria. The people have seen our 10-year record.”

“People have seen that we have worked dedicatedly for the welfare of the poor, fulfilling the mantra that public service is service to God,” he said.

The Prime Minister said he could understand the pain of some who, despite spreading lies and misleading the people, had to suffer a massive defeat in the Lok Sabha elections. People chose us in this major election. I can understand the pain of some people who, despite spreading lies, were largely defeated, he said, amid chants of Justice for Manipur by opposition members.

Mr Modi said this was the first time in the history of the Congress that it had failed to win more than 100 seats for the third consecutive time.

This is the third biggest defeat of the Congress. It would have been good if the Congress had accepted its defeat and done some introspection. But it is busy doing sirsasan (pear tree). Congress and its system are trying to instill in people that they have defeated us, he said.

“When we won in 2014, we had declared our slogan as zero tolerance towards corruption. I am proud that common people, who were in the grip of corruption and whose country was gutted before 2014, have blessed us for our zero tolerance towards corruption,” Modi said.

Nation first

The Prime Minister said that India's prestige has increased and the entire world admires the country. The country has understood that our primary objective is nation first. Our every step and action has been guided by nation first. It is in this spirit that we have pursued reforms. We do not believe in pacify (appeasement) but gratification (saturation), he said. He claimed that the appeasement policy had harmed the country.

“People supported us after seeing our work in the last 10 years and gave us the opportunity to serve the 140 million people (of the country). This election has shown the maturity of the people of this country,” he said.

Mr Modi said that before 2014, people had lost confidence in themselves. When there is a lack of confidence, it becomes difficult for the individual and the country to rise again. Common people used to say that this country cannot achieve anything. Only news of scams prevailed, the Prime Minister said.

Before the Prime Minister's reply, the opposition members wanted Speaker Om Birla to allow the Manipur MPs to speak in the House, but he said a member from the northeastern state had already spoken on July 1. They then gathered in the well of the House, drawing a sharp rebuke from Mr Birla.