Nehru's 15 August 'lazy Indians' speech goes viral after PM Modi attacks Congress in Lok Sabha (WATCH)
PM Narendra Modi, during his speech in the Lok Sabha on Monday, brought attention to a statement made by Nehru in a speech from the Red Fort, where he allegedly berated Indians as lazy and less intelligent.
FollowIn a fiery address to the Lok Sabha on Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a scathing attack on the Congress party, citing historical statements by former Prime Ministers Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi to highlight what he perceives as a long-standing lack of faith in the Indian populace.Â
"The Congress never trusted India's potential. They always considered themselves rulers and belittled people," the Prime Minister said during the discussion on the Motion of Thanks to President Droupadi Murmu's address.
PM Modi, during his speech, brought attention to a statement made by Nehru in a speech from the Red Fort, where he allegedly berated Indians as lazy and less intelligent.
"Nehru had said, 'We do not work as hard the Europeans, Japanese, Chinese, Russians or the Americans. Do not think that these communities became prosperous by some magic. They have achieved this by hard work, by smartness.' This shows Nehru thought Indians were lazy and did not have brains. He did not trust their potential," the Prime Minister said.
The viral video of Nehru's speech, referenced by PM Modi, adds fuel to the ongoing political discourse, intensifying the debate surrounding the Congress party's historical attitudes towards the Indian population.
Furthermore, PM Modi drew attention to another statement made by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, implying a similar disconnect between the Congress leadership and the aspirations of the Indian people.
"Indira ji had said from (the ramparts of) Red Fort, 'Unfortunately, it is our habit that when a good work is approaching completion, we become complacent. And when an obstacle comes, we lose hope. Sometimes it seems the whole nation has accepted defeat'. Looking at Congress today, it appears that Indira ji may have underestimated the countrymen, but she evaluated the Congress well," he said.
"This was the thinking of the Royal Family of Congress about Indians," the Prime Minister said, adding that he has immense faith in the ability of the country and its people.
The Prime Minister cited Jawaharlal Nehru's writings to support his assertion that "history proves Congress governments' association with inflation."Â "Whenever Congress came (to power), it strengthened inflation. Our government has controlled it despite two wars and a pandemic," he added.
In his address on Monday, PM Modi also stated that it is the Congress that is responsible for the state of the Opposition. "They failed and didn't allow other parties to perform either. They have ruined the parliament, the Opposition and the country. I believe the country needs a strong Opposition. The country has faced the ramifications of dynasty politics, and the Congress has faced it too," he said.
The Prime Minister also criticized the INDIA Opposition coalition, currently grappling with internal tensions between the Congress party and regional entities like Trinamool Congress and Aam Aadmi Party.
"If they can't trust each other, how will they trust the people," the Prime Minister said.
