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While addressing the Rajya Sabha today, Prime Minister Modi recited a few lines by renowned poet Neeraj, indirectly criticising the governance of previous Congress regimes.
Parliament Budget Session: PM Modi addressing the Rajya Sabha on Thursday. (PTI)
Parliament Budget Session: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday displayed his poetry skills while addressing the Rajya Sabha during his reply to the Motion of Thanks to the President’s address, indirectly criticising previous Congress governments and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge in particular.
Addressing the Upper House of the Parliament, PM Modi engaged in an “offensive shayari” targeting the Congress, saying, “Our respected Kharge ji keeps reciting wonderful poems in front of you. He has a fondness for reciting poems. And, Chairman Sir, you also enjoy it greatly.”
His remarks elicited laughs from Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar and other BJP MPs. “I also heard a poem somewhere – Tamasha karna walo ko kya khabar, humne itne toofano ko paar kar diya jalaya hai. (Those who create drama, what do they know? We have crossed so many storms and set them ablaze).”
Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, “Our respected Kharge ji keeps reciting wonderful poems in front of you. He has a fondness for reciting poems. And, Chairman Sir, you also enjoy it greatly…”(Video Courtesy: Sansad TV) pic.twitter.com/3boIsjLx1n
— IANS (@ians_india) February 6, 2025
Modi had a few words of praise for Kharge, calling him a veteran politician and said he always had respect for the Congress president. “When Congress was ruling the country, poet (Gopaldas Saxena aka) Neeraj ji penned some lines called ‘Phir Deep Jalega’. Kharge ji had a fondness so he would be well aware,” he said.
“I would like to recite a few lines from the poetry of the late poet Neeraj Ji for Kharge. These poems were written during the time of the Congress government. Neeraj Ji said – hai bahut andhera, ab suraj nikalna chahiye, jis tarah se bhi ye mausam badalna chahiye (There is much darkness, now the sun should rise, in any way, this weather should change),” he added.
Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, “I would like to recite a few lines from the poetry of the late poet Neeraj Ji for Kharge. These poems were written during the time of the Congress government. Neeraj Ji said, Hai bahut andhera, ab suraj nikalna chahiye, jis tarah se bhi… pic.twitter.com/I6gf0g6WuZ— IANS (@ians_india) February 6, 2025
He recited another poem by Neeraj – “Mere desh, udaas na ho, phir deep chalega, timir dhalega” (My country, do not be sad, the lamp will burn, and the darkness will recede).
He also compared this with former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee – “suraj niklega, andhera chhatega, kamal (lotus – BJP’s symbol) khilega” (The sun will rise, the darkness will fade, and the lotus will bloom). PM Modi said India lived in darkness while Congress was in power.
Delhi: During his speech in Rajya Sabha, Prime Minister Narendra Modi recalled a poem from the time when Congress ruled. The poem, written by Neeraj ji, is called ‘Phir Deep Jalega’(Video Courtesy: Sansad TV) pic.twitter.com/EFKZQjFH3v
— IANS (@ians_india) February 6, 2025
PM Modi’s Scathing Attack On Congress
These were few of the light-hearted moments with heartfelt laughs in the Upper House of the Parliament in what was otherwise scathing attack by PM Modi on decades of Congress misrule in the country.
Lashing out at the Congress, PM Modi accused the party of appeasement and vote bank politics and trying to stoke tensions in the country. He said the Congress only worked for a single family and its failure pushed India towards slow economic growth.
During his speech, PM Modi said Congress hated Dr BR Ambedkar but was forced to say ‘Jai Bhim’ in Parliament. He accused Nehru of amending the Constitution before elections and imprisoning poets who disagreed with his government.
The Prime Minister also raked up the Emergency, saying that the Constitution was “trampled upon and its spirit crushed for the sake of power”. He said respected leaders and MPs were handcuffed and chained, while lakhs of families were destroyed for the sake of power and arrogance of a “royal family”.
