Govt working for 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas': PM Modi in Rajya Sabha

New Delhi: The BJP-led Union government is working on the principle of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas', Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday as he accused the Congress of practising appeasement politics to get votes.

Replying to the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President's address in the Rajya Sabha, the prime minister said the Congress' priority was "family first" and its policies had been focused around it.

Modi also accused the Congress of being against the architect of India's Constitution B R Ambedkar, and recalled the Emergency of 1975-77 as well as incidents of alleged suppression of freedom of expression under the earlier regimes of Congress. He said his government has worked for upliftment of the poor, and it stands with the middle class and the "neo-middle class" in the country.

"Nation first is the BJP's priority..." Modi said.

"I say it with a lot of pride... For five to six decades, there was no alternative model for the people. After a long time, after 2014, the country got to witness a new model, which is not based on appeasement but 'santushtikaran' (satisfaction of all)," he said.

"The earlier model, especially under the Congress, was appeasement in everything. This became the crux of its politics. It would give something to small groups and deprive others. At the time of elections, it would give false hope. It ran its politics by fooling people," he said.

Modi said the BJP-led government was focused on optimum utilisation of resources.

"We adopted the approach of saturation. The schemes should be delivered 100 per cent, no one should be deprived and pushed towards hopelessness. In the past decade, at every level, we have tried to implement 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas'. We can now see the impact," he said.

Modi also claimed attempts were being made to spread casteism.

"Attempts are being made to spread the poison of casteism. For three decades, OBC MPs of both Houses from all parties kept demanding a commission for OBCs but it was rejected because, perhaps, it did not suit its politics at that time. We gave constitutional status to this OBC commission," Modi said.

"Whenever the issue of reservation came up, it was done to create a rift in the country..." he said.

"For the first time, we gave a model, we gave 10 per cent reservation to economically backward groups without snatching from anyone. SC, ST, OBC communities welcomed it, no one had a problem," Modi added.

He accused the Congress of not respecting B R Ambedkar, and said, "Congress govt did not give Bharat Ratna to B R Ambedkar, but today they are forced to say 'Jai Bhim'".

He said Ambedkar wanted to economically empower the Dalits and backward sections, and said schemes like the Mudra Yojana and Stand Up India scheme have helped the poor in getting loans to start their own businesses, fulfilling Ambedkar's wish.

"Our government focused on skill development, financial inclusion, and industrialisation. We are realising the dreams of Babasaheb Ambedkar through these schemes," he said.

He also mentioned the PM-JANMAN scheme to improve the socio-economic conditions of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs), and schemes for development of border villages.

Attacking the Congress, Modi said soon after Independence, the Congress went against the sentiments of the Samvidhan Sabha, and brought in an amendment to the Constitution even before the government was elected.

In his speech, he also mentioned poet and lyricist Majrooh Sultanpuri and actor Balraj Sahni being arrested under Congress regimes for participating in protests, and said veteran singer Lata Mangeshkar's brother was banned from All India Radio as he wanted to sing a song dedicated to Vinayak Damodar Savarkar.

Modi also said Doordarshan had banned movies of Dev Anand because he refused to speak in support of the Emergency, and singer Kishore Kumar was banned because he refused to sing a song for the Congress.

Huge uproar was heard from the Opposition benches as the prime minister accused the Congress of crushing freedom of speech.

"I can never forget the Emergency... The word Constitution does not suit them..." he said.

Modi stressed that 25 crore people have been brought out of poverty by his government.

"My government is standing with this neo-middle class and middle class with a lot of commitment," he said.