‘They never trusted countrymen, its capability’: PM Modi touches upon statements of Indira Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru

New Delhi, February 5

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his reply to Motion of Thanks on President’s Address in Lok Sabha on Monday, named former prime ministers Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi.

Mocking the Opposition for a lacklustre performance in an election year in Lok Sabha, Modi touched upon statements of two former Congress prime ministers to point out their ‘lack of faith’ in their own citizens.

Recalling Jawaharlal Nehru’s Independence speech in 1959, he said: “Nehru had said from Red Fort that Indians don’t have the habit of working hard. He said that we Indians don’t work as hard as those in Europe, Japan, China, Russia and the US. Nehru thought that Indians are lazy,” Modi said.

“Nehru thought Indians were lazy and less intelligent,” the PM said, amid slogan-shouting and angry protests by Congress parliamentarians.

Modi also stated how Indira Gandhi mentioned once that Indians ‘run away’ from difficulties and obstacles.

Reading a quote of Indira Gandhi from the ramparts of Red Fort on Independence Day, he said: “Unfortunately, our habit is that when some auspicious work is about to be completed, we become complacent, when any difficulty comes, we become hopeless, sometimes it seems that the entire nation has failed. It seems like we have adopted the feeling of defeat.”

Lambasting the Congress leadership for prioritising ‘one family over everything’, Modi said the grand old party never trusted the countrymen and its capability.