New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday used his reply to the Motion of Thanks to the President’s Address to launch a scathing attack on Opposition leaders. He claimed that while others indulged in “tushtikaran” (appeasement), his government focused on “santushtikaran” (satisfaction), bringing 25 crore people out of poverty while removing 10 crore “fake beneficiaries” from welfare rolls.
PM Modi Takes A Veiled Swipe At The Aam Adami Party & Former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal
With the Delhi Assembly elections looming, Modi took a veiled swipe at the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Referring to the controversy over Kejriwal’s alleged splurging of over Rs 50 crore on his official residence, dubbed “Sheesh Mahal,” where multiple jacuzzis were found in a government audit, Modi quipped, “Our government’s priority is not jacuzzis but providing water connections to all.”
The PM highlighted that before his tenure, over 16 crore households lacked tap water, but in just five years, his government provided 12 crore new connections. Coining the term “AAP-da” (a play on “aapda,” meaning disaster in Hindi), Modi accused AAP of betraying the youth by making false promises.
PM Modi Dismisses Rahul Gandhi’s Call For A Caste Census
Turning his attention to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Modi dismissed the latter’s call for a caste census, saying, “For some, talking about caste has become a fashion.” He asserted that it was his government that finally granted constitutional status to the Other Backward Classes (OBC) Commission— a demand pending for 30-35 years. Modi also warned against leaders who, he claimed, echo the language of “urban Naxals” by speaking of a fight against the Indian state.
“These people neither understand the Constitution nor national unity,” he said. Indirectly referencing former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s infamous statement that only 15 paise of every rupee sent from Delhi reached the people, Modi declared, “We changed this through Jan Dhan and Aadhaar — Rs 40 lakh crore has now reached beneficiaries directly.” He credited his government with providing over 4 crore houses to the poor, building 12 crore toilets for “sisters and daughters,” and preventing Rs 3 lakh crore in leakages by eliminating fraudulent welfare claimants.
PM Modi On The Union Budget 2025-26
On the Union Budget 2025-26, Modi emphasized its pro-people measures, including tax relief for the middle class. “Income up to Rs 12 lakh is tax-exempt, and salaried individuals earning Rs 12.75 lakh pay no tax after standard deductions,” he noted. The PM also hailed the budget’s push for nuclear energy and Artificial Intelligence (AI), cheekily adding, “For me, there are two AIs—the other being Aspirational India.”
