New Delhi : Congress Party on Saturday criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Independence Day address at Red Fort, saying that it was high on rhetoric and low on substance.
Essentially the message that he was trying to send was his government will take the money of the poor from the Jan Dhan Yojna and from various other schemes which he claimed to launch. And that money will be tunnelled and funnelled into the progress and prosperity of capitalist India. So, therefore, it seemed as if there was an extortion paradigm which was being set in place that money would be taken from the poorest of the poor and through the banking system, it would be handed over to the capitalist so that he can fatten his coffers, Congress leader Manish Tewari told ANI.
The betrayal of the ex-serviceman on the issue of One Rank, One Pension (OROP), especially when the former UPA government had not only accepted, but implemented it in the interim budget, perhaps represents the greatest betrayal of the last 15 months. After having politicised the issue, now the Prime Minister is undermining and betraying ex-servicemen by trying to put the issue into a spin, he added.
He insisted that the Prime Minister’s speech was high on rhetoric and very low on substance.
Extending his heartfelt greetings to the nation, Modi said during his nearly 90-minute long speech that August 15 should always be seen as a morning of hope of the dreams and aspirations of 125 crore Indians.
He stressed that unity in diversity will lead to the realisation of the dreams of Indians.
Saying that the people’s participation is the biggest asset of a democracy, he said that Team India of 125 crore people can take the nation to new heights.
He also stressed on the need for financial inclusion and said that all government’s schemes must serve the poor.
He also promised the nation’s ex-servicemen that the decision on the One Rank One Pension (OROP) Scheme would be taken soon.
“I am saying in front of the tricolour that the government has accepted the pending demand of OROP. Talks are going on, and very soon, a decision would be reached. Discussions have come to the final leg. We are finding a solution, and I am hoping for a positive result,” he said during his second Independence Day address to the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort.
PTI