PM Modi takes dig at Opposition, says ‘people want substance, not slogans and drama’

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 24 took a dig at the opposition and told them to meet the expectations of the people by focusing on substance over slogans and maintaining the dignity of democracy.

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The Prime Minister said, “The people of the country expect good steps from the opposition. I hope that the opposition will live up to the expectations of the common citizens of the country to maintain the dignity of democracy. People do not want drama, disturbance. People want substance, not slogans. The country needs a good opposition, a responsible opposition and I have full faith that the MPs who have won in this 18th Lok Sabha will try to fulfill these expectations of the common man.”

PM Modi returned to power for a third consecutive term earlier this month. Modi and his Council of Ministers took oath on June 9. This is the third term of Modi as a member of the Lok Sabha. He retained the Varanasi seat, which he has been winning since 2014. As Leader of the House, he was the first one to take oath.

Earlier in the day, B Mahtab took oath as member of the new House as well as that of pro-tem speaker at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

During his address, PM Modi also noted that Emergency's 50th anniversary falls on June 25, and described it as a "black spot" on India's democracy when Constitution was discarded.

“The new generation of India will never forget that the Constitution of India was completely rejected, every part of the Constitution was torn to pieces, the country was turned into a prison, democracy was completely suppressed...While protecting our Constitution, while protecting the democracy of India, the democratic traditions, the countrymen will take a resolution that no one will dare to do such a thing in India again which was done 50 years ago. We will take a resolution of a vibrant democracy. We will take a resolution to fulfil the dreams of the common people as per the directions of the Constitution of India,” he said.

He added, “In the last 10 years, we have always tried to implement a tradition because we believe that a majority is required to run the government but to run the country a consensus is of utmost importance. So, it will be our constant efforts to serve Maa Bharti and fulfill the aspirations and ambitions of the 140 crore people, with everyone's consent and by taking everyone together. We want to go ahead and speed up decisions by taking everyone together, by maintaining the sanctity of the Constitution.”