Independence Day speech: Opposition leaders attack PM Modi on Kashmir, GST, Doklam standoff
Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Red Fort. Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Red Fort.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s fourth Independence Day address centred on a vision for a new India, embracing Kashmiris to solve the issue of separatism, and fighting black money and corruption. The prime minister said “New India’ is the greatest strength of the democracy and it is not just limited to the ballot papers.” He stressed on the issue of handling separatism and militancy in Kashmir with sensitivity and hailed the courage of women suffering due to triple talaq. He also advocated stepping away from division based on castes and communities. “India is about peace, unity and goodwill. Casteism and communalism will not help us,” he said. His words, though, were not met with much enthusiasm by Opposition parties.
Congress spokesperson Salman Anees Soz reacted with skepticism. To PM Modi’s message that separatism will be defeated by embracing Kashmiris and not by abuses or bullets, he said on Twitter: “I welcome these words but I am old enough to know that words alone won’t make a difference. Let us see if PM Modi acts differently. #Kashmir,” adding in another tweet: “If @PMOIndia is sincere about #Kashmir, listen to those concerned about RSS-BJP moves against Article 35A.”
Hitting out at the Modi government’s handling terrorism and conflict in Kashmir and along the LoC, Congress leader Anand Sharma was quoted by ANI as saying: “PM mentioned surgical strike in his speech, this is about a year old; after that repeated attacks, violations took place.”
Sharma also accused the PM and BJP of stalling the GST when they were in Opposition and taking credit when they are in power now. “PM was making tall claims on GST. For seven years, he and the BJP in opposition had stalled GST.” Opposition today is responsible and we allowed Constitutional Amendment to pass; didn’t expect him to completely ignore and then expect cooperation.”
Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah echoed Soz. On the Prime Minister’s admission that the government had recovered fake currency worth Rs 3 lakh crore during demonetisation, he tweeted: “This is welcome news. It also means @RBI has finished counting demonetised notes to arrive at this firm figure of 3 lakh crores. Excellent.”
Another Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari, in a series of tweets, accused the BJP of appropriating credit on schemes as well as not sticking to promises on issues like job creation. He said the Prime Minister was extolling Aadhaar and demonetisation and that it was a change of stance on his part. “@narendramodi promised to create 2 crore jobs per year. changes tune youth be self employed?Not what he committed?”
With PM Modi avoiding any direct comments on China and Pakistan, Tewari questioned India’s commitment to the security of India’s neighbour and ally Bhutan amid a standoff in Doklam. “@narendramodi omits talking about China or reiterating India’s commitment to security of Bhutan. Not a word on Pakistan.”
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