New Delhi, Sep 18: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge used poetry and humour to take swipes at the government on Monday, saying nothing will be accomplished by changing names, and went on to recall how first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s “inclusive” approach of involving opposition parties had led to the laying of a strong foundation for the Constitution.
The leader of opposition (LoP) in the Rajya Sabha slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for neither finding time to attend Parliament nor to visit ethnic strife-torn Manipur.
Participating in a discussion on the country’s parliamentary journey on the opening day of a special parliamentary session, Kharge said the opposition tried hard to get Modi to speak on the ethnic violence in Manipur. He said Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar too tried initiating a discussion in the House on Manipur. “The problem is that the prime minister does not even listen to you,” Kharge said, adding that whenever the opposition looks up to the chairman, he looks at the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders.
Dhankhar shot back, saying “main majboor nahin, majboot hoon (I am not helpless, I am strong)”.
Kharge opened his speech with a poem in Hindi.
“Badalna hai to halat badlo, aise naam badalne se kya hota hai? Dena hein to yuva ko rozgar do, sab ko berozgar karke kya hota hai? Dil ko thoda bada karke dekho, logon ko marne se kya hota hai? Kuch kar nahi sakte ho, kursi chor do, baat baat mein darane se kya hota hai? “Apni hukumrani par guroor hai, logon ko darane se dhamkane se kya hota hai? Badalna hai to halat badlo, aise naam badalne se kya hota hai? Yahan se wahan jane mein kya aur honewala hai?” he said.
(“If you want to change something, change the situation, what will be accomplished by changing names? If you want to give something, give employment to youngsters, what will be accomplished by making everyone unemployed? Try becoming more magnanimous, what will be accomplished by killing people? If you cannot do anything, leave the chair, what will be accomplished by scaring people?”).
The strong foundation stones that support a structure are not visible to anyone and it is only the plaque on the wall that is seen, Kharge said in an apparent jibe at Modi, without naming him.
He also alleged that the government is focused on weakening the opposition by using central agencies, such as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The Congress leader also expressed concern over the passage of several bills in a manner faster than the “bullet train”, without referring those to parliamentary standing committees. “He (Modi) goes to every corner of the country, but why does he not visit Manipur? He should visit Manipur and see the pain and suffering of the people,” Kharge said.
Ethnic violence has gripped Manipur since May 3, he said, adding that people in the northeastern state are getting killed and houses are being set on fire. The Congress has sought a statement on the situation in Manipur, the LoP said. (PTI)
