PM Modi Slams Congress in Lok Sabha: 'Garibi Hatao' Was the Biggest Jumla

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi hit back at Congress over its frequent accusations of "jumla" (empty promises) against the BJP, asserting that the "biggest jumla in India" was the Congress party's longstanding slogan of "Garibi Hatao" (Remove Poverty). Modi alleged that the slogan had been used by four generations of Congress leaders in every election without achieving the promised outcomes.

The Prime Minister made these remarks during his speech, which concluded the two-day debate in the Lok Sabha commemorating the 75th anniversary of the adoption of India's Constitution.

The "Garibi Hatao" slogan was first introduced by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi during the 1971 Lok Sabha elections.

"Congress is very fond of one word. I want to use that word today. Their favourite word, without which they cannot live is 'jumla'... The country knows that if there was any biggest jumla in India and it was used by four generations, that jumla was - 'Garibi Hatao'. This was such a Jumla which helped them in their politics but did not improve the condition of the poor," the Prime Minister said.

PM Modi said his government has made sincere efforts to bring the poor out of poverty.

He also targeted the Congress-led UPA government over amendments to the Constitution and alleged that these were not aimed at the welfare of the people.

"Congress tasted the blood of amending Constitution, it started hunting Constitution from time to time. It tasted the blood. It kept bloodying the spirit of the Constitution. In almost six decades, the Constitution was amended 75 times. The poison that was sowed by the first PM of the country was nurtured by another Prime Minister - Indira Gandhi. Congress has constantly disrespected the Constitution, and reduced the importance of the Constitution. Congress is full of many examples of this," he said.

PM Modi attacked the Congress over Article 370 concerning Jammu and Kashmir which was scrapped by his government in August 2019.

"Everyone knows about 370 but very few know about 35-A... If there is any first son of the Constitution of India, then it is the Parliament but they have strangled it too. They imposed 35-A on the country without bringing it to the Parliament... This work was done on the orders of the President and the Parliament of the country was kept in the dark," he said.

The Prime Minister also attacked the Congress over the Emergency imposed by the Indira Gandhi government in 1975.

"It is 75 years of the Constitution. But 25 years also has an importance, so do 50 years and 60 years...When the country was witnessing 25 years of Constitution, at the same time Constitution in our country was razed. Emergency was imposed, democratic systems were finished, country was turned into a prison, citizens's rights were looted, and press freedom was curtailed. This sin on the forehead of Congress can never be erased. Whenever democracy will be discussed across the world, Congress' sin will never be erased because democracy was strangled," PM Modi said.

Referring to the Nehru-Gandhi family, PM Modi alleged that it "has challenged the Constitution at all levels".

"Highs and lows occurred, there were difficulties too, there were obstacles as well. But I bow before the people of the country once again that they strongly stood with the Constitution...I do not want to make personal criticism on anyone but it is important to place facts before the country. That is why, I would like to do that," he said.

"One family of Congress left no stone unturned in hurling a blow to the Constitution. I am mentioning that one family because in 75 years of our journey, they ruled for 55 years. So, country has the right to know what happened. The tradition of this family's ill-thoughts, bad policies is ongoing continuously. This family has challenged Constitution at all levels," he added.

The special two-day debate in Lok Sabha on 75 years of the Constitution began on Friday.

(with agency inputs)