Parliament no place for drama; Opposition using House to vent out frustration: PM Modi
New Delhi (PTI): Parliament is not a place for drama but for delivery, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday in a hard-hitting attack on the Opposition as he accused it of turning the House into a "warm-up arena" for elections and an outlet to vent out frustration after defeat.
Speaking to reporters outside Parliament ahead of the start of the Winter session, he said the House must not become a stage for political theatrics but a platform for constructive and result-driven debate, and offered to give the opposition tips to bring positivity in politics.
"There is plenty of room for drama; those who want to do it, keep doing it. Parliament is not a place for drama; it is a place for delivery," the prime minister said, targeting the Opposition for stalling parliamentary proceedings during the previous sessions.
"Even for raising slogans, you can do so across the country. You have spoken where you have been defeated. You can also speak where you are yet to face defeat. But in Parliament, the focus should be on policy, not slogans," Modi, buoyed by the landslide victory of the NDA in recent Bihar polls, said in a swipe at opposition parties, while urging lawmakers to work with a sense of responsibility.
The Monsoon session of Parliament was virtually washed out over the Opposition's protests on Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar.
Opposition parties have also threatened to stall the Winter session of Parliament over the SIR exercise in nine states and three Union territories if the issue is not discussed in Parliament.
"For some time now, our Parliament is being used either as a warm-up arena for elections or as an outlet for frustration after defeat," Modi said.
Referring to the drubbing of opposition parties in the Bihar polls, he said they were perturbed by the electoral loss and unable to digest failure.
"Defeat should not be the ground to create disruption. Victory should not convert into arrogance either," the prime minister said.
Highlighting the importance of informed debate, Modi urged members to offer constructive and accurate critiques where needed, so that citizens are better informed. "This work is demanding, but it is essential for the nation," he said.
The prime minister cautioned political parties against allowing frustration over electoral defeats to overshadow parliamentary proceedings.
"The Winter Session must reflect balance, responsibility and the dignity expected from public representatives," he said.
The record turnout witnessed in the Bihar elections is the biggest strength of democracy, he said, adding the Opposition too should fulfil its responsibility and come out of its "depression" after the loss in elections.
The prime minister said the game the Opposition has been playing for the last 10 years is no longer acceptable to the people. "They should change their strategy - I am ready to give them a few tips," Modi said.
He urged all parties to recognise the purpose of Parliament and "come out of the frustration of defeat".
Prime Minister Modi added that he had heard statements of leaders of certain opposition parties that suggest their inability to accept electoral outcomes.
"There are one or two parties that are unable to accept their defeat. From the statements I heard yesterday, it seems that the loss has deeply troubled them," he said.
The prime minister also stressed that opportunities should be given to the new generation of Members of Parliament. "The House should benefit from their experiences, and through this House, the nation should also gain from their fresh perspective," Modi said.
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LoP Ashoka targets CM govt over corruption, says being 'shameless' in public life not forgivable
Bengaluru (PTI): Targeting Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and the Congress government in Karnataka on corruption, BJP leader R Ashoka on Friday said, being foolish was forgivable, but being "shameless" in public life was not.
The Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly claimed that in just 30 months of its tenure, the Congress administration has broken every previous record on corruption-related controversies.
He was responding to Siddaramaiah's post on 'X' on Thursday hitting back at the BJP, stating that Upa Lokayukta Justice Veerappa's claims of "63 per cent corruption" were based on his report in November 2019, when BJP's B S Yediyurappa was the CM.
"But Ashoka, without understanding the Upa Lokayukta's statement properly, has ended up tying the BJP's own bells of sins onto our heads and has effectively shot himself in the foot," the CM had said, as he accused Ashoka of foolishness for trying to twist Veerappa's statement to target the current government.
Responding, Ashoka said, "it is one thing to be called foolish in politics, that can be forgiven."
"But in public life, especially in the Chief Minister's chair, one must never become shameless," Ashoka posted on 'X' on Friday addressing Siddaramaiah.
Noting that the CM himself had admitted on the floor of the Assembly that a Rs 87 crore scam took place in the Valmiki Development Corporation, he said that when a CM acknowledges such a massive irregularity inside the floor of the House, the natural expectation is immediate action and accountability.
"But instead of taking responsibility, you continue in office as if nothing has happened. What should the people of Karnataka call this, if not sheer shamelessness," he asked.
Pointing out that the CM's Economic Advisor and senior Congress MLA Basavaraja Rayareddy had publicly stated that under Congress rule, Karnataka has become No.1 in corruption, Ashoka said, "Yet, you still cling to the Chief Minister's chair without a moment of introspection. What should the people of Karnataka call this, if not sheer shamelessness."
Senior Congress MLA C R Patil had exposed the "money for House" racket in the Housing Department and even warned that the government would collapse if the details he has were made public, Ashoka said.
"Despite such serious allegations from within your own party (Congress), you neither initiated an inquiry nor acted against the concerned minister. What should the people of Karnataka call this, if not sheer shamelessness," Ashoka asked the CM.
Highlighting the "40 percent commission" allegation Congress made against the previous BJP government, the opposition leader said, the commission that the Siddaramaiah government appointed concluded that the accusation was baseless.
"After your own panel demolished your own claim, what moral right do you have to continue repeating that allegation. What should the people of Karnataka call this, if not sheer shamelessness," he asked.
For the last two and a half years, Karnataka has been 'drowning' in corruption, scandals, irregularities and allegations across departments. Ashoka said, "If I begin listing every case that emerged under your government, even 24 hours would not be enough."
"And the most tragic aspect of your administration is this: the unbearable pressure, corruption demands and administrative harassment under your government pushed several officers and contractors into extreme distress - including the suicide of Chandrasekharan which exposed the Valmiki Development Corporation scam - a sign of how deeply broken the system has become under your watch," he said.
Instead of fixing this hopeless environment, the government has tried to bury every complaint and silence every voice, he charged.
"Being foolish is forgivable, but being shameless in public life is definitely not."
"When your own ministers admit scams, when your own advisors certify Karnataka as No.1 in corruption, and when your own MLAs expose rackets inside your departments - clinging to power without accountability is not leadership. It is shamelessness in its purest form." PTI KSU
Earlier on Thursday Ashoka had demanded that the corruption case and allegations in the state against the Congress government be handed over to a CBI investigation, citing a reported statement by Upalokaykta Justice Veerappa alleging "63 per cent corruption", following which Siddaramaiah hit back at the BJP leader.
