New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday strongly defended India’s recent trade agreements while replying to the Motion of Thanks on the President’s Address in the Rajya Sabha, asserting that the country is signing future-ready deals that are drawing global praise.
His speech came even as the Lok Sabha later passed the Motion of Thanks without the Prime Minister’s customary reply, amid sustained protests by Opposition members.
During his address in the Upper House, the Prime Minister said India has emerged as a trusted global partner and is playing an active role in global welfare. Referring to ongoing trade negotiations and recent agreements, he said both the India-European Union talks and the recently announced India–United States deal were being widely appreciated across the world.
As he continued his speech, Opposition members raised slogans and eventually walked out of the Rajya Sabha.
Modi launched a sharp attack on the Congress, accusing it of lacking vision, ideas and a roadmap for the country. He alleged that Opposition parties were spreading misinformation about public sector undertakings and compared such efforts to attempts at inciting unrest outside factory gates. The Prime Minister also accused past governments of corruption, saying that earlier, the mention of a “deal” reminded people of the Bofors controversy rather than national development.
The Prime Minister extended his criticism beyond the Congress, targeting the Aam Aadmi Party and the Trinamool Congress. He alleged that the AAP government in Delhi had “drowned in liquor” and accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the TMC of protecting infiltrators. Referring to ongoing legal proceedings related to electoral roll revision in West Bengal, Modi claimed that courts were being pressured to shield illegal infiltrators, adding that many countries across the world were taking strict action against such challenges.
In a broader political attack, Modi accused the Congress, TMC, DMK and Left parties of prioritising power and personal gain over public welfare during their years in office. He said earlier governments had focused on filling their own pockets rather than transforming the lives of citizens, and contrasted that with what he described as the current government’s emphasis on reform, global engagement and economic credibility.
While the Prime Minister delivered his full reply in the Rajya Sabha, events unfolded differently in the Lok Sabha.
Amid loud sloganeering by Opposition members, Speaker Om Birla put amendments moved by Opposition parties to the Motion of Thanks to vote, all of which were rejected. The Speaker then read out the Motion of Thanks to the President’s address, delivered on January 28, and it was passed by a voice vote without a customary reply from the Prime Minister.
As protests continued, the Lok Sabha was adjourned till the afternoon by Speaker Birla, who said he had advised the PM not to the House as he had information that “many members of the Congress party could carry out an unexpected act by reaching the spot where the prime minister sits.”
“If this incident had taken place, this would have left the democratic traditions of the country in shreds. To avoid this, I requested the PM to not come to the House and as the Speaker it was my responsibility to uphold the dignity of the House,” he said.
The absence of the Prime Minister’s response in the Lower House drew sharp reactions from the Congress. “The PM is now hiding behind the Speaker. They are making the Speaker say all this because yesterday he didn’t have the guts to come in the House,” said Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi.
Congress general secretary in charge of communications Jairam Ramesh shared a video clip on social media referring to Singh’s subsequent speech in March 2005. In that address, Singh had noted that he had waited an entire year to respond to the President’s Address after being prevented from doing so in June 2004.
The contrasting scenes in the two Houses highlighted the continuing deadlock between the government and the Opposition, with the ruling side projecting confidence over India’s international engagements and economic direction, and Opposition parties accusing the government of suppressing debate and accountability in Parliament.
