Unfortunate that questions were raised about India’s democracy in London: PM Modi’s veiled jibe at Rahul

Last week, Rahul Gandhi told British parliamentarians in London that functioning microphones in the Lok Sabha are often silenced against the Opposition.

India

oi-Deepika S

Prime
Minister
Narendra
Modi
took
a
veiled
jibe
at
Congress
leader
Rahul
Gandhi,
saying
that
it
is
a
shame
how
some
people
are
questioning
India’s
democracy
in
London.

PM
Modi
made
the
remarks
in
Karnataka’s
Hubballi-Dharwad
where
he
laid
a
foundation
stone
and
dedicated
a
number
of
development
projects.

Highlighting
the
contributions
of
Lord
Basaveshwara,
the
Prime
Minister
mentioned
the
establishment
of
Anubhav
Mandapam
as
most
important
among
many
contributions
and
noted
that
this
democratic
system
is
studied
all
over
the
world.
He
recalled
inaugurating
the
statue
of
Lord
Basaveshwara
in
London.
However,
the
Prime
Minister
said,
it
is
unfortunate
that
India’s
democracy
was
questioned
in
London
itself.

“The
roots
of
India’s
democracy
are
drawn
from
our
centuries-old
history.
No
power
in
the
world
can
harm
India’s
democratic
traditions”,
the
Prime
Minister
remarked.
“Despite
this”,
the
Prime
Minister
continued,
“some
people
are
constantly
putting
India’s
democracy
in
the
dock.
Such
people
are
insulting
Lord
Basaveshwara
and
the
people
of
Karnataka
and
the
country.
He
warned
the
people
of
Karnataka
to
stay
alert
from
such
people.

Addressing
the
gathering,
the
Prime
Minister
recalled
getting
the
opportunity
to
visit
Hubbali
earlier
this
year
and
highlighted
the
blessings
showered
upon
him
by
the
people
who
came
out
to
welcome
him.
Recalling
his
visits
to
Karnataka
in
the
past
few
years
from
Bengaluru
to
Belgavi,
Kalburagi
to
Shivamoga,
and
Mysuru
to
Tumkuru,
the
Prime
Minister
said
that
he
is
indebted
to
the
overwhelming
love
and
affection
shown
by
the
Kannadigas
and
also
underlined
that
the
government
will
work
towards
fulfilling
the
needs
of
the
people
by
making
their
lives
easier,
creating
many
employment
opportunities
for
the
youth,
empowering
the
women
of
the
region
as
a
way
of
repayment.

“The
double-engine
government
of
Karnataka
strives
for
the
complete
development
of
every
district,
village
and
hamlet
of
the
state
with
utmost
honesty”,
the
Prime
Minister
said.

The
Prime
Minister
lamented
the
thought
process
of
yesteryears
that
expansion
of
quality
education
institutions
will
lead
to
dilution
of
their
brand.
This
thinking
led
to
massive
loss
for
the
young
generation
and
new
India
is
leaving
this
way
of
thinking
behind,
he
said.
“Good
education
should
reach
everywhere,
to
everyone.
Larger
number
of
quality
institutions
will
ensure
the
reach
of
good
education
to
more
people”,
he
added.
That
is
why,
he
continued,
that
the
number
of
quality
institutions
is
constantly
increasing
in
India
during
the
last
9
years.
Number
of
AIIMS
has
tripled,
250
medical
colleges
have
been
opened
in
just
the
last
9
years
compared
to
380
medical
colleges
in
the
seven
decades
after
Independence.
Many
new
IIM
and
IIT
came
up
during
these
9
years.

The
Prime
Minister
said
that
21st
century
India
is
moving
ahead
by
modernising
its
cities.
He
said
Hubballi-Dharwad
was
included
in
the
smart
city
project
and
many
smart
projects
have
been
dedicated
today.
“Technology,
infrastructure
and
smart
governance
will
take
the
Hubballi-Dharwad
region
to
new
heights”,
he
said.

The
Prime
Minister
underlined
the
trust
that
the
people
of
Karnataka
have
on
Sri
Jayadeva
Institute
of
Cardiovascular
Sciences
and
Research
which
is
serving
in
Benguluru,
Mysuru
and
Kalburgi.
Now
a
third
branch’s
foundation
stone
was
laid
in
Hubballi
today.

“Better
and
advanced
infrastructure
is
not
only
good
to
look
at
but
also
makes
the
lives
of
people
easier”,
the
Prime
Minister
remarked.
Highlighting
the
difficulties
faced
by
people
of
all
communities
and
ages
due
to
lack
of
better
roads
and
hospitals,
the
Prime
Minister
noted
that
every
citizen
of
the
country
is
reaping
the
benefits
of
advanced
infrastructure
being
developed
across
the
nation.
He
gave
examples
of
students,
farmers
and
the
middle
class
who
are
making
use
of
better
connectivity
to
reach
their
destinations.
Throwing
light
on
the
work
done
towards
modernizing
infrastructure
in
the
last
9
years,
the
Prime
Minister
informed
that
the
network
of
roads
in
villages
has
more
than
doubled
through
the
PM
Sadak
Yojana,
and
the
National
Highway
network
has
increased
by
more
than
55%.
He
also
informed
that
the
number
of
airports
in
the
country
has
more
than
doubled
in
the
last
9
years.

The
Prime
Minister
said
that
before
India
was
not
that
prominent
in
the
world
of
Internet.
Today
India
is
among
the
most
powerful
digital
economies.
This
happened
because
the
government
made
the
cheap
Internet
available
and
took
it
to
villages.
“On
an
average,
2.5
lakh
broadband
connections
were
given
every
day
in
the
last
9
years”,
he
informed.
“This
speed
is
coming
in
the
development
of
infra
because
today,
infrastructure
is
being
built
according
to
the
needs
of
the
country.
Earlier,
rail
and
road
projects
were
announced
after
weighing
the
political
profit
and
loss.
We
have
come
up
with
the
PM
Gatishakti
National
Master
Plan
for
the
entire
country.
So
that
wherever
there
is
a
need
in
the
country,
infrastructure
can
be
built
at
a
fast
pace”,
he
added.

Referring
to
the
unprecedented
focus
on
social
infrastructure,
the
Prime
Minister
remembered
the
days
of
scarcity
in
the
critical
areas
of
housing,toilets,
cooking
gas,
hospitals
and
drinking
etc.
He
elaborated
how
these
areas
have
been
addressed
and
all
these
facilities
are
being
made
available.
“Today
we
are
giving
all
the
resources
to
the
youth
to
realize
their
resolutions
in
the
next
25
years”,
he
said.

Concluding
the
address,
the
Prime
Minister
emphasised
taking
Karnataka’s
identity
tech-future
of
India
further.
“Karnataka
is
the
engine
of
hitech
India’,
the
Prime
Minister
said
as
he
stressed
the
need
for
a
double-engine
government
to
power
this
hitech
engine
of
the
state.