Aggressive PM takes on BJP

'Jo garajte hain, woh baraste nahi' Anita Saluja New Delhi: Turning aggressive at the fag-end of his nine-year tenure, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh chose the debate on Motion of Thanks to target the BJP, especially leaders like L K Advani and Narendra Modi for the tirade they had launched against him by terming him a "Weak Prime Minister" and a "Night Watchman," respectively. "Jo garajte hain, woh baraste nahi" (those who thunder, cannot deliver), remarked the Prime Minister. In his address, Prime Minister compared the achievement of his UPA government from 2004 to 2009, reeling out figures on agriculture and industrial growth, besides the overall GDP to the figures during the NDA regime from 1998 to 2004, claiming that in all the spheres, they had done better than the previous regime. "What has been achieved cannot be belittled." he said, recalling that how the BJP, in its recent conclave, had used "choicest abuses" to target the Congress establishment and its leadership. The Prime Minister stated it was not his intention to respond to the BJP leaders in their language, as his record speaks for the performance of the UPA. The Prime Minister was of the view that if people would look to the record of the UPA government, they will vote for them again. Claiming that the UPA government's performance was the best, the Prime Minister again quoted an Urdu couplet, "Hum ko unse waafa ki hai umeed, joh nahi jaante waafa kya hai," (We have expectations of loyalty from those, who do not understand loyalty). Not yet contented on his attack on the BJP, Manmohan Singh recalled how in the General Election in 2009, the BJP had fielded the "Iron Man" (read Advani) and remarked, "We all know what was the result." The BJP, which had pitted Advani against Manmohan Singh as the Prime Ministerial candidate, lost the elections. He recalled how during the NDA government, the Shining India campaign had led to the disastrous result. The Prime Minister, himself in the election mode, though there is still one year to go for the polls, listed the government's achievement by comparing the record of the UPA government with the NDA. He also devoted much time of his speech to the steps taken by his government on the safety and empowerment of women besides those of the minorities, SC/ST and OBCs. He urged upon the Opposition to evolve a consensus on the anti-rape Bill, so that they could push the Bill fast in Parliament. "I sincerely hope that we can in one voice agree to go forward to do justice to 50 per cent of our population," stated the Prime Minister, to "ensure the dignity, safety and security" of women. He informed that the toll-free helpline number for women is on the anvil to ensure their safety. Replying to the criticism of SP leader Mulayam Singh Yadav that there was corruption in the flagship programme of MNREGA, the Prime Minister said that several measures were being taken to ensure accountability and transparency by conducting social audits, putting out information in public domain, payment of wages through banks and post-offices, standard operating procedures for redressal of complaints and advice to the states to set-up ombudsman. On the economic front, the Prime Minister was of the view that slowdown in the economy will not persist for long, as measures were being taken to put the country back on the path of high growth rate of 7 to 8 per cent. In a point by point rebuttal to BJP President Rajnath Singh, who had run down the UPA record and showcased Vajpayee government's achievements during the debate, Manmohan Singh said, the UPA average growth rate was 7.9 per cent despite the slowdown, while the NDA average was 6 per cent. On the agricultural front, he said that against the target of achieving 4 per cent growth rate, the UPA registered 3.7 per cent while the NDA achieved only 2.9 per cent. After MNREGA, the per capita consumption had risen to 3.4 per cent as against the Vajpayee government 0.8 per cent. Even on the agricultural wages, during the 11th Plan period, 6.8 per cent was achieved against Vajpayee government 1.1 per cent. Similarly, the industrial growth rate of the UPA government was 8.5 per cent, while the NDA was 5.6 per cent. He also listed out expansion in the healthcare and education sectors to run down the NDA government performance.

When LS debate turned poetic New Delhi: Usually, it is during delivery of the Budget speech or while presenting the Rail Budget that the Ministers turn poetic at the end of their marathon speeches. On Wednesday, however, during the reply to debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President's Address, it was not only dull and the boring Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who turned poetic, but the two senior BJP leaders, Sushma Swaraj and Rajnath Singh, also exhibited their hidden talent by replying to him in the same vein. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh set the tone, when he recited a couplet from Mirza Ghalib, "Hum ko unse wafa ki hai umeed, joh nahee jaante wafa kya hai (We expect loyalty from those, who do not understand what is loyalty). He wanted to convey to the BJP that despite the UPA's best performance, they refused to acknowledge their achievement. Sushma Swaraj responded in verse to the Prime Minister by reciting two couplets. "Kuch toh majboorian raheen hongee, yun hee koi bewafa nahee hota (The may have been some compulsions, no one turns disloyal without reason). Tumhe wafa yaad nahee, humein jafa yaad nahee; zindagi aur maut ke toh do hee tarane hain, ek tumhein yaad nahee, ek humein yaad naheen (You do remember loyalty, we do not recall disloyalty. Life and death have only two tunes � one you do not remember, the other I do not remember). Not to be left behind, BJP President Rajnath said, "Bujhne se pehle deepak ki lauh kaphi akramak ho jaati hai" (Before extinguishing, the flame turns aggressive). He said, "Time has come for the UPA government to go."