‘Opposition scoring self-goals’: PM slams protests in Parliament

LUCKNOW: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said the Opposition is trying to score self-goals, accusing it of stalling Parliament while the country was keen to march ahead.

These parties are trying to stop the transaction of business in Parliament, he said in a no-holds-barred attack on the Opposition for stalling parliamentary proceedings over the Pegasus spyware controversy and other issues.

“On one hand, our country is scoring goal after goal of victory, on the other, some people, due to political self-interests, are doing such things which make it seem that they are scoring ‘self-goals’,” the Prime Minister said.

Modi was interacting with beneficiaries of the Centre’s food security scheme in Uttar Pradesh through video-conferencing as the state observed the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana Day.

“They are not concerned about what the country wants, what it is achieving or how it is changing. These people are hurting both the spirit and the time of the country for their selfish reasons. They are continuously insulting Parliament of India for their self interests,” he added.

While very citizen of the country is working hard to get out of the biggest crisis humanity has ever faced, Opposition parties are competing to stop the work of the country’s interests, Modi said.

Targeting the Opposition, the Prime Minister said, “The great people of this country cannot become hostage to such selfish and anti-national politics. No matter how much these people try to stop the development of the country, this country is not going to stop. They are engaged in stopping the proceedings of Parliament but 130 crore people are engaged in not allowing them to stop the country.”

The sole intention of the opposition parties is to create roadblocks on the path of development, he said, terming their action “anti national”.

“Bharat chall padha hain (India is on the move),” the PM said as he listed the achievements of his government on various fronts. Since the start of the Monsoon session on July 19, parliamentary proceedings have witnessed disruptions due to protests by opposition parties. The session is likely to conclude next week. The Prime Minister accused these parties, without naming them, of “using” Uttar Pradesh for their family and political interests.

“This state was not linked with the economic progress of India. Some families did progress. These people did not enrich UP but themselves. I am happy that today Uttar Pradesh is moving ahead breaking the vicious circle of such people,” he said. “The path to Delhi’s throne passes through UP. And the way to the country’s prosperity also goes through UP. But they kept UP as their crucible of politics only,” Modi said.