Oppn can’t fathom ‘sabka vikas’: Modi

The National Democratic Alliance is working to ensure development for all but the Congress cannot comprehend the meaning of Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas because it is focussed on “family first” and steeped in dynastic politics and appeasement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday. In a 90-minute address in the Rajya Sabha, while participating in the debate over the President’s speech at the beginning of the budget session of Parliament, Modi repeatedly attacked the Congress and said it trampled on constitutional values and freedom of speech, lambasted the restrictions on fundamental rights during the Emergency, listed schemes for marginalised sections that his government had implemented, and said the Congress always disrespected India’s first law minister, BR Ambedkar. He recalled the eccentricities of the licence-permit raj and said the entire Hindu community was blamed and its image tarnished across the world for the economic mismanagement and wrong policies of the Congress “royal family” that led to the “Hindu rate of growth” – a phrase often used to reference the anaemic economic growth of India before the economic liberalisation of 1991. He also said the Congress had “hatred and anger” towards Ambedkar and said they were today shouting slogans of ‘Jai Bhim’ out of compulsion.