'Why not use Nehru surname...' PM Modi takes dig at Gandhis in Parliament

During his address in Rajya Sabha on Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi quipped at the Gandhis, asking why they didn’t use Nehru as their last name despite being the descendants of India’s first prime minister, Jawahar Lal Nehru.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi unleashed a scathing attack on the Gandhi family by questioning why they did not use "Nehru" as their last name and asserting that India is not a property of any dynasty. The grand-old-party was charged by the prime minister with overthrowing many state governments while in power at the national level.

In response to the debate over the "motion of thanks" following President Droupadi Murmu's speech in the Rajya Sabha, the Prime Minister emphasised that the NDA government understands the value of cooperative federalism and took into account both national advancement and regional aspirations when enacting policies.

"If Jawaharlal Nehru's name is not used in certain circumstance. Some people are irritated... Sanskrit words in the names of government programmes and their names caused some people issues. I read in a report that 600 govt schemes were in the Gandhi-Nehru family’s name… I don’t understand why people from their generation don’t keep Nehru as their surname, what’s the fear and shame?" he asked.

"They (Congress) get irritated if Nehru isn't mentioned anywhere. Why do none of them use the Nehru last name if Nehru was such a fantastic person? What is the shame in using the Nehru name," PM Modi questioned in Rajya Sabha.

The Prime Minister emphasised that Congress used Article 356 to overthrow or dissolve state governments several times. As he continued his tirade, PM Modi also reminded two of Congress' current partners, Sharad Pawar and the DMK, that Congress had previously overthrown their administrations.

PM Modi spoke amid loud and unrelenting "probe Adani" chants by the Opposition. Opposition members protested at the centre of the house, demanding a Joint Parliamentary Committee investigation into the allegations linked to the Adani Group. Members of the opposition shouted "Modi Adani Bhai Bhai" and "Adani Ki Dalali Band Karo" during PM Modi's address.