The Congress on Monday said the comeback of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to power was the result of his “salesmanship” and asserted it primary role in the nation-building, even as the BJP insisted that it was the ten-year-long “policy paralysis” of the Congress rule which made the country realise the importance of strong leadership. 

Initiating the debate on the motion of thanks on President’s address, Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury launched a blistering attack on the Modi Government as the chair expunged some of his comments against the ruling dispensation.

Lashing out at the BJP for alleging a scam in the sale of 2G spectrum, he said if there was a wrongdoing why are UP chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi not in jail. “Why are they still in Parliament,” he said and challenged the Modi Government to walk the talk.

He charged the BJP Government has developed “political plagiarism” syndrome and is only a “travesty of truth”, saying it only tries to

highlight its achievements ignoring the foundation laid down by his party.

Recalling former Prime Ministers Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, Chowdhury listed out the achievements under the Congress Government and accused the BJP of just renaming 19 of the 23 schemes of the Congress party.

“This Government has developed a new syndrome called political plagiarism... Congress party has been contributing to growth (since Independence), but one morning you suddenly say the Congress has done nothing and you are doing all development work. It is nothing but travesty of truth...

“You are a Government which can be called compliment addicted Government driven by manipulation,” said Chowdhury who was the first speaker from Opposition to initiate discussion on the Motion of Thanks.

Congress leader Sonia Gandhi continued to prompt Chowdhury while he was attacking the BJP in his speech. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah were present in the House.

Stating it was the Congress party which initiated revolution like Green Revolution, White Revolution and Technology Revolution in the country, and increased GDP growth, Chowdhury said it was under the Congress that host of CPSEs like ONGC, IOC, NTPC, SBI and HAL were set up.

“The Congress is the soul of the nation. The Congress is synonymous with India... For us, country is ahead of the party... Although we have 52 members in the House, but we will continue to fight for the common man,” he said.

He said the BJP rode-back to power as Modi is a “very big salesman” while the Congress failed to market its product in the Lok Sabha polls, he said, adding he accepted this fact.

“Our Prime Minister is a very big salesman. We (Congress) have been unable to sell our product, that is why we lost (Lok Sabha elections),” he said.

Taking a dig at Union Minister Pratap Sarangi, who had initiated the discussion for the Government, he said Sarangi crossed limits in his praise of Modi. This invited sharp reactions from the Treasury Benches as they referred to “India is Indira, Indira is India” remarks made by Congress leaders when Indira Gandhi was Prime Minister.

He said BJP MPs did not take steps to mitigate miseries of the people as they think Modi will do everything.

“They think that praising Modi is sufficient, he will help them sail through (Modi baba paarlagayenge),”he said.

Opening the debate for the Government, Sarangi hit out at what he called the Congress Government of “policy Paralysis”, “accidental Prime Minister” and “Tukde-tukde-gang”.

In his address, which barely touched on the contents of President’s address, Sarangi was effusive in his praise for Modi and his leadership. Sarangi said he is grateful to Modi for making a man like him, who hails from a humble background, a Minister. Sarangi’s long speech was replete with ‘Sanskrit slokas” and interspersed with Bangala, Odiya, Hindi and English quotes. 

Sarangi’s jibe at the Congress on its refusal to accept people’s mandate to Modi, made the Prime Minister smile. Taking on the Opposition party, Sarangi said the Congress made the BJP realise the importance of strong leadership as policy paralysis was a “new norm” during the ten-year rule of the party with the “accidental Prime Minister” at the helm.

“Policy paralysis was a new norm during those ten years. And it was Congress which made us realise the importance of strong leadership,” he said.

Without naming former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, he said even the Congress Prime Minister was an “accidental Prime Minister.”

Emphasising that both Modi and his Government are committed to the welfare of the poor and downtrodden, Sarangi said by 2022 every poor person will have a “pucca” house with toilet.