Prime Minister Narendra Modi has yet again on Wednesday bull-horned that India has now embarked on a movement for prosperity in the post-Covid era based on massive root and branch economic reforms.

PRIVATE SECTOR

Addressing the Lok Sabha in his reply to the President's motion of thanks PM Modi spotlighted the importance and role of the private sector in the development of the country. "To use improper words against the private sector may have got votes for a few people in the past but those times are gone. The culture of abusing the private sector is not acceptable any longer. We cannot keep insulting our youth like this," he added. Advocating domain specialisation, he stressed that times have changed and we cannot have bureaucracy running large corporations.

"The public sector is essential but at the same time the role of the private sector is also vital. Take any sector- telecom, pharma- we see the role of the private sector. He pointed out that the private sector had played a major role in developing Covid-19 vaccines and supplying medicines that have enabled India to serve humanity during the pandemic.

Criticising the Congress party, PM Modi said that party leaders in Rajya Sabha go in one direction and the ones in Lok Sabha go in another direction. "Such a divided party, such a confused party can neither help itself nor think about the country's welfare. The Congress is present in Rajya Sabha also, there are senior leaders there too. But they debate and discuss enthusiastically," he said.

REFORMS ARE A MUST

The Prime Minister also spotlighted  that reforms are must for developing the country and providing more jobs.  "Status quo has a role in destroying the country," he remarked.

Providing a historical perspective, the Prime Minister cited examples of Raja Ram Mohan Roy and Jyotiba Phule and said that opposition did not stop them from pushing for reforms. "I am against this mentality. When it is said, the people never asked for these laws. The people never asked for Ayushmaan Bharat, Jan Dhan, Swachh Bharat but we decided to take the initiatives. The government should work only when something is demanded, that time has gone," Prime Minister Narendra Modi said.

He also said those who are disrupting the House are doing so according to a well-planned strategy. "They are unable to digest that people are seeing through the truth. Through their games, the trust of the people can never be won like this," said PM Modi.

SUCCESS AGAINST COVID-19

Highlighting the contribution of the healthcare staff in fighting the Covid-19 pandemic, he said "God came as doctors and nurses -“[Congress MP] Manish Tewari said that we stayed protected from Corona by God's grace. I'd like to say something. This indeed is God's grace that the entire world shook but we remained safe. It was because doctors & nurses came as God, because they couldn't return to their homes for 15 days.”

AATAMNIRBHAR BHARAT

He also said the COVID world is turning out to be very different. In such times, remaining isolated from global trends will be counter-productive. We'll have to emerge as a strong player. That is why, India is working towards building an Aatmanirbhar Bharat.”

PM Modi lashed out at the opposition for misleading the farmers on the MSP issue saying that the Union Budget had in fact created a special fund for strengthening the mandi system and the existing purchase mechanism. An allocation of Rs 1 lakh crore had been made for upgrading the infrastructure in the agricultural sector, he explained.

The Prime Minister said the new laws had only provided an additional option to the farmers to sell their produce and were not mandatory. "Farmers can go wherever they get more profit," he pointed out.

"The three farm laws were brought in by government, these agricultural reforms are important and necessary. Farm laws were passed through an ordinance and later by Parliament. No mandis were shut after the implementation of these laws, MSP did not end anywhere in the nation. It's a truth which we hide.  in fact the purchase through MSP increased after the laws were formed," the Prime Minister said.

PM Modi said the Opposition should have debated on the intent of the farm laws.  He said that protesting farmers were victims of rumours that were spread. "This house and this government respects the spirit of protesting farmers and this is why senior ministers have been talking to them respectfully since the agitation started  in Punjab.

"Efforts were made to identify the concerns of farmers. We make the laws for the people of this country. Even now, if they make any suggestions, we do not have objections," he said.

 "I consider the farmer protests to be sacred. But, when Andolanjeevis hijack these sacred protests, showcase photos of those jailed for serious offences, does it serve any purpose? Not allowing toll plazas to work, destroying telecom towers – does it serve the movement," the PM remarked. Earlier in his address to the Rajya Sabha PM Modi also said that India must be protected from 'andolan jeevis' who are present in every agitation. "In the last few years, we have witnessed a new category of protesters, 'andolan jeevi', who can be witnessed in every agitation. We need to protect this country from these andolanjeevis, who are actually 'parjeevi' (parasite). They don't have their own strength, but they join all agitations," he said.

Earlier this month, in an address commemorating the Chauri Chaura incident, PM Modi had called for launching economic development as a political movement in the post-Covid phase.