Congress bungled economy, Hindus got blamed: PM Modi

NEW DELHI: PM Modi Thursday blamed Congress for India's slow growth rate in the first four decades after Independence, and also said it hounded film stars and artistes during the Emergency.

In his reply to the motion of thanks on President's address in Rajya Sabha, Modi said Congress's "failure" in "governance" and its "corruption and incompetence" led the world to use "Hindu rate of growth" - a term coined by economist Raj Krishna and considered disparaging to the community - to signify India's weak growth rate. They (Congress) failed, but "blamed an entire civilisation for it," Modi said.

Modi contrasted this with his govt's economic achievements and said, "Today, the world recognises India's economic strength, and we are one of the fastest-growing economies. Free from Congress's grip, the country is breathing freely and soaring high."

Modi painted a stark picture of India's economy under Congress, recalling an era when even buying a scooter required a decade-long wait and obtaining a gas connection depended on MPs' quotas. He lambasted 'licence raj' and govt-controlled markets which, he argued, stifled India's entrepreneurial potential. "India's natural ability for free trade and business was crushed under Congress's governance," he said, contrasting it with his govt's success in making India one of the world's fastest-growing economies.

Interestingly, to buttress his criticism, the PM cited two Congress MPs of the House - an "erudite" former finance minister who had in an interview acknowledged that people had to pay bribes to get past the stifling licence and quota regime, and another who had recalled how his father had to wait for 15 years to buy a car.

Modi also recalled leading lyricist Majrooh Sultanpuri being jailed during the prime ministership of Jawaharlal Nehru and the ban on Bollywood legends Dev Anand and Kishore Kumar on govt-controlled All India Radio and Doordarshan after they refused to toe the Congress govt's line during Emergency.

Highlighting economic achievements under his leadership, Modi cited the rise of India as the world's second-largest mobile phone and steel producer, the expansion of the defence manufacturing sector, and the growth in exports across industries, from electronics to agrochemicals.

He attributed this progress to initiatives such as the Production-Linked Incentive scheme and Make in India, which have boosted domestic production and reduced reliance on imports.

Taking aim at what he described as Congress's "politics of appeasement," Modi accused the rival of deliberately obstructing constitutional recognition for the OBC panel for decades. He credited his govt for granting constitutional status to the commission and implementing 10% reservation for Economically Weaker Sections without affecting existing quotas.

The PM also criticised attempts to spread caste-based divisions, warning that certain political forces were sowing discord for electoral gains. He underscored his govt's commitment to marginalised communities.

Attacking Congress's governance model, Modi accused the party of prioritising nepotism, corruption and selective appeasement over inclusive development. "For nearly 60 years, there was no alternative model. Post-2014, the people chose a new path - one of saturation, not appeasement," he said, reiterating his govt's focus on universal policy implementation rather than selective benefits.

Modi also championed the aspirations of the middle class, pointing to tax cuts, housing reforms and education policies that have bolstered the sector. "The middle class is the driving force of this nation. Their confidence today is unprecedented, and it will be the foundation of a developed India," he said.

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