Opposition accuses Modi of showing scant respect for Parliament

A far cry from promises of showing higest respect to temple of democracy

From the picture of Prime Minister Narendra Modi bowing on the steps of Parliament vowing to accord highest respect for the “temple of democracy” to accusations hurled by the Opposition of Modi being an “NRI Prime Minister” and showing “scant respect for Parliament” by absenting himself . The pendulum has swung far from the rosy images of May 20, 2014 when Narendra Modi entered the Parliament precincts for the first time. While Opposition Congress has challenged Modi to “be courageous, be brave and face members of parliament” the Left parties and Trinamool Congress have made less than complimentary jibes suggesting that the PM be extended a visa and that more than black money it was more urgent to get the PM back to the house from his frequent foreign visits abroad.

The government refuted these charges with Foreign minister Sushma Swaraj making a suo motu statement on the Prime Minister’s recent visits abroad today. Modi has in  during his six months in office, visited nine countries in six foreign trips. The minister stated that “The PM’s visits have helped boost bilateral ties and attract international investments in India”. The BJP party bolstered its argument of Modi being a “global PM” by even releasing a booklet on his visits.   

Congress now sitting in Opposition, did not lose the opportunity to hit back at the ruling BJP for the latest “U turn” on the PM’s foreign visits. Spokesperson Rajeev Gowda recalled how then Opposition leader Ravi Shankar Prasad had ridiculed the then PM Manmohan Singh saying “The Prime Minister has violated a time-tested tradition by going abroad when Parliament is in session.” The party implied that the BJP clearly suffered from amnesia.

The Congress was unsparing in its criticism, “The Prime Minister has given more speeches in foreign Parliaments than in the Indian Parliament”, Gowda added. Modi has till date addressed five Parliaments abroad while delivering only a single address here.

The Left has not been far behind with Sitaram Yechury taking a leaf out of the BJP’s favourite electoral jargon, ‘black money.’ “Forget bringing back black money from abroad. Please bring back our PM first,” yechury said eleciting much laughter from the Opposition benches.

Left’s arch rival Trinamool Congress also has found common cause on this issue with its party spokesperson and Rajya sabha member Derek O’Brien suggesting on the floor of the house “Please grant a visa to the Prime Minister of India to come to the Rajya Sabha.”

Congress demanded to know why the Prime Minister did not have the courage to come to the house and defend his erring minister ( Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti). “Be courageous, be brave and face members of parliament,” quipped Congress spokesperson Gowda.

The government till now has chosen to turn a deaf ear to such attacks, with Parliamentary Affairs Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu saying “When it’s needed for the PM to attend the House he will ... The PM has his responsibilities, he is doing his work ... the people are happy, only the opposition is unhappy, what can we do?”