‘We Will Come Out of This Crisis Soon,’ PM Breaks Silence on Encephalitis Outbreak in Rajya Sabha | Highlights

Follow our story for all updates from PM Narendra Modi's address in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has concluded his address in the Rajya Sabha in reply to President Ram Nath Kovind’s address, a day after his Lok Sabha speech.

In a stinging attack on the Congress, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said the Opposition party thinks only the Nehru-Gandhi family had contributed to the country’s progress and mockingly quipped that it had “risen” so much that it had lost connect with the ground situation.

Replying to the Motion of Thanks to the President’s Address in the Lok Sabha, he also slammed the Congress for imposing Emergency on this day 44 years back and said the period saw how institutions like the judiciary were insulted and people were jailed by the Indira Gandhi government at will.

He also responded to Leader of Congress Adhir Ranjan Chowdhary’s dare as to why UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Congress President Rahul Gandhi had not been jailed if their party was “corrupt”, saying it was not done because “this is not Emergency” where anybody could be put behind the bars by the government.

HERE ARE THE HIGHLIGHTS FROM PM MODI’S RAJYA SABHA ADDRESS: 

• Speaking on the water shortage, PM Modi said, “There are 226 districts in the country where there is water crisis. Now I am trying to mobilize everyone to tackle this, how we can give priority to water in MPLAD funds. We also have to make society aware on water issues. A Jal Shakti ministry has also been setup.”

• PM breaks silence on Encephalitis outbreak, Says he is worried and saddened but efforts are on to help Bihar handle the situation. “The need of the hour is to strengthen Ayushman Bharat. We want our poor to get the best quality and affordable medical treatment,” he said.

• PM Modi evokes the horror of 1984 riots and advises Congress of introspecting before pointing fingers at the government over cases of lynching.

• The lynching in Jharkhand has pained me. It has saddened others too. But, some here in the Rajya Sabha are calling Jharkhand a hub of lynching. Is this fair? Why are they insulting a whole state. None of us have the right to insult the state of Jharkhand.

• Now they are slamming New India. Do they want old India back? Old India where cabinet decisions were torn in press meets, old India where Navy was used for personal trips, old India where numerous scams existed, old India which supported tukde tukde gang?

• My friends in Congress have not been able to digest victory, they have not been able to accept defeat. This is not a healthy sign in a democracy.

• 55-60 वर्ष तक देश को चलाने वाला एक दल 17 राज्यों में एक भी सीट नहीं जीत पाया तो क्या इसका मतलब ये हुआ कि देश हार गया?: पीएम मोदी pic.twitter.com/85gK4A1zzv

  — BJP (@BJP4India) June 26, 2019

• There have been so many elections with EVMs and parties that are present in the Rajya Sabha have got opportunities to govern in different states after elections were held through EVMs. Then, why question EVMs today? Election Commission had invited parties on the issue of EVMs but just two parties accepted- CPI and NCP. I appreciate them for going to EC to learn more about the issue. But, why did the rest of the parties questioning the EVMs not even bother to go, they should answer.

• Some people kept raising the EVM issue in this House. I want to tell them there was a time when we had just two MPs in Parliament. People made fun of us. But, we worked harder and won the trust of people. We did not make excuses and blame the polling booth.

• By saying farmers sold themselves just because of Rs 2,000 scheme is an insult to farmers. I am shocked, even media was abused, it was said elections were won because of the media. What do such people mean? That media is on sale? Does same logic apply to Tamil Nadu and Kerala?

• PM Modi in Rajya Sabha: I was saddened when some leaders said- the BJP and allies won the elections but the country lost and democracy lost. These statements are really unfortunate. Why should we question decision of voters? https://t.co/mlSeViOpuI

  — ANI (@ANI) June 26, 2019

• Did India lose in Wayanad? Did India lose in Rae Bareli? Did India lose in Trivandrum, what about Amethi? What kind of argument is this? If Congress loses then does that mean India lost? There is a limit to arrogance. Congress could not win a single seat in 17 states.

• It is after long that a government with a full majority won once again with a full majority. In this mandate, we see the wish of the people for stability. In fact, this trend of stable governments is being seen in many states as well.