PM omits Nehru, Sonia takes dig at RSS

NEWDELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave a clarion call on Wednesday to rid the country of corruption, poverty and illiteracy and create a new India by 2022 even as Congress chief Sonia Gandhi expressed concern over the attempts by “forces of darkness” to destroy the roots of democracy.

While Modi did not take the name of India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in his speech in the Lok Sabha during a special discussion on the 75th anniversary of the ‘Quit India Movement’, Gandhi made a veiled attack on the BJP’s ideological mentor Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS).

"We should not forget that there were people and organisations which had opposed the Quit India Movement and they played no role in the freedom struggle,” she said, recalling the contributions of Nehru and the Congress party in the historic event of August 9, 1942 and in India getting Independence.

At this point, BJP member Kirron Kher shouted “travesty, travesty” but was signalled to remain quiet by the treasury benches as the PM keenly listened to Gandhi’s speech.

In 1942, Gandhi gave a clarion call ‘Karenge Ya Marenge’. Today it is ‘Karenge Aur Kar Ke Rahenge’. NARENDRA MODI, Prime Minister ...There were people and organisations which had opposed the movement and played no role in freedom struggle SONIA GANDHI, Congress chief

For his part, the Prime Minister during his 30-minute speech remembered the role played by different leaders in different period of times, including Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Subhash Chandra Bose, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Jai Prakash Narayan, Ram Manohar Lohia, Chandrashekar Azad and Raj Guru.

He coined a new slogan to eliminate corruption, poverty, illiteracy and malnutrition which, he said, were the greatest challenges that India now needs to overcome. “In 1942, Gandhi gave a clarion call 'Karenge Ya Marenge (Do or Die)’. Today it is 'Karenge Aur Kar Ke Rahenge (We will do and surely do)’. The next five years should also be about 'Sankalp Se Siddhi (pledge to achieve)’, a resolve which will lead us to accomplishment,” Modi said.

The Prime Minister said from 2017 to 2022 when India turns 75, there is a need to create the same spirit that existed between 1942 and 1947. Gandhi was the second speaker after Modi in the special discussion initiated by Lok Sabha speaker Sumitra Mahajan. She said there was a feeling that “clouds of politics of division and hate” were hovering over the plural and egalitarian values enshrined in the Constitution. “It seems secular, democratic and liberal values are being endangered. The public space for debate and difference of opinion is shrinking.”

“Have the forces of darkness emerged? Is there a fear about the existence of a sense of freedom? Are attempts being made to destroy roots of democracy which is based on equality, social justice, law-based system and freedom of expression.”