Home Minister Amit Shah In Lok Sabha: 20 Highlights From 120 Minutes

Home Minister Amit Shah addressed Lok Sabha at 5 PM today (August 9) during the ongoing No-Confidence motion.

Here are some salient highlights from his speech, paraphrased.

1. 'Corruption Quit India', 'Dynasty Quit India', and 'Appeasement Quit India'

Amit Shah responded to the no-confidence motion initiated by the Opposition against the Centre in the Lok Sabha with a 'Quit India' taunt aimed at the Opposition.

Shah mentioned that Prime Minister Modi has currently adopted the slogans of 'Corruption Quit India', 'Dynasty Quit India', and 'Appeasement Quit India'.

2. No-Confidence motion politically motivated

Shah reminded the house and people of previous no confidence motions brought against the governments of former Prime Ministers PV Narasimha Rao, Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Manmohan Singh.

He compared the infamous corruption and bribery done by previous Congress governments with the honest conduct of NDA government even at the cost of power.

He termed the present no-confidence motion as "politically motivated" and hence proceeded to furnish the performance and achievements of the government.

3. Congress Slogans versus NDA performance

The BJP leader compared the erstwhile slogan of Congress "Gareebi Hatao" and its rhetoric of poverty alleviation with what he believed was its absymal performance on ground level.

In sharp contrast to Congress, he highlighted how the BJP-led NDA government has provided free Gas Cylinders to many households and has ensured Tap Water connections to many rural villages around the country among other welfare schemes.

4. Kisan Samman Nidhi is not a 'Rewari'

The Home Minister told the house that our government is not just concerned with loan waivers but with empowering farmers that may not need to take loans anymore.

Amit Shah also stated how the central government is committed towards helping the distressed farmers by directly transferring the benefits into their bank accounts while maintaining their dignity.

5. Direct Benefits Transfer

Amit Shah referred to Former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi's remark about how funds released by central government were misappropriated to defend present government's policy of DBT directly to the beneficiaries against criticism from some opposition leaders.

6. India's successful tackling of COVID

The Union Minister of Home Affairs, highlighted how India has successfully tackled the COVID pandemic with the valuable cooperation of centre and state governments along with all the citizens of India.

However he also condemned the politics done by some of opposition leaders during the pandemic period by branding the vaccine as "Modi vaccine" and therefore demotivating the people from taking it.

7. India's Economic ranking

The Home Minister also mentioned how India's economic ranking in the economic sphere have significantly improved. He mentioned how the previous NDA government headed by Atal Bihari Vajpayee took India's economic rank at 11 which remained struck their during the subsequent UPA years and it was again present dispensation led by Narendra Modi which has again took India's rank to 5.

8. Infrastructure and Education

Amit Shah also highlighted the infrastructural progress achieved under NDA government by mentioning the construction of roads through every nook and corner of the country and connecting every village with roads under the banner of "Vibrant Villages Programme".

9. International stature and Diplomacy

The Home Minister expounded about India's growing diplomatic stature in the international arena due to proactive and dynamic foreign policy engagements under Prime Minister Narenda Modi.

Amit Shah stated that, “PM Modi is the one leader who has made India proud globally be it on climate change, Green Hydrogen. While hosting the G20 presidency, the summits were held in 25 cities to display India’s culture. PM Modi has also been awarded the highest civilian award from 14 countries.”

He further dedicated the highest civilian awards bestowed upon the Prime Minister to the people of India.

10. Cross-Border Terrorism

The BJP leader highlighted how the government has ensured that incidents of cross border terrorism were brought to naught by empowering the military.

He contrasted it with the numerous incidents of cross border terroisim during UPA years targeting the Indian troops.

11. Reforms in Defence

The Home Minister told the house about the numerous initiatives undertaken by government indefence sector including instituting the post of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and making Indian Atma Nirbhar in the matter of production and procurment of defence equipment.

He also stated the government's initiative of constructing defence corridor in both Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu and implementation of One Rank One Pension (OROP) policy.

12. Rescue of Indian citizens in Ukraine and Yemen

The Union Minister also highlighted the government's successful rescue efforts of Indian citizens in general and students in particular struck at Ukraine and Yemen.

13. Maximum purchase at of Rice at the Highest price

Amit Shah commended the NDA administration for its procurement of the highest quantity of rice at the Minimum Support Price (MSP) aimed at benefiting the farmers.

Shah stated, "If there is one government that has procured the maximum amount of rice on MSP, then it is the Narendra Modi government."

14. Popular Front of India (PFI) banned

The Home Minister said, "We banned PFI in the country and conducted raids at over 90 locations in the country. Cases regarding attacks on our missions in London, Ottawa and San Francisco were handed over to NIA. 26/11 Tahawwur Hussain Rana will also soon face the judiciary in India."

15. Removal of Article 370 and

Amit Shah said that the Modi-led NDA government has "continuously worked to make Kashmir completely free from terrorism" and has taken the historic decision of abrogating Article 370.

He further said that the present dispensation has never held any discussion with sepratist organisations such as Hurriyat thus denying them any legitmacy.

16. Plethora of reforms brought in Kashmir since

The Home Minister further detailed the reforms brought by the government in Kashmir such as introduction of reservations for Scheduled Castes and Tribes, constitution of Commsion For Women and Children, issuance of domicile certificates to Safai Karamcharis and conducting proper and order Panchayat elections.

He further told the house how the government has worked for renovation of temples, restoration of properties of Hindus, and how theatres and night shows have for the first time begun in Kashmir.

Addressing MP Danish Ali, he stated that for the first time Muharram procession was taken and commenmorated in Kashmir.

17. Crackdown on Naxilism

The Union MInister for Home Affairs also detailed how various operations were undertaken to root out Maoist insurgency which was a major menace during UPA years and how the present government has been successful in tackling the left extremism.

He also highlighted that provisions of UAPA were strengthened to tackle these kind of terrorist activities.

18. Integration of Northeast with rest of India

Amit Shah said "PM Modi has worked towards bringing the North East into the mainstream. They [Opposition] have done nothing for North East."

He further added that the present central government along with its NEDA allies has worked throughout to bring "all-round development in the region."

Shah also stated that 'PM Modi has visited northeast more than 50 times in the last nine years. This shows that North East is part of our country. They are questioning us over North East, when they themselves did nothing for the region.'

19. Politics over Manipur violence destructive

The Home Minister acknowledged that, 'we are pained at incidents of violence in Manipur.' but also condemned the attempts to exploit the violence in the northeastern state for political benefits.

Shah stated that “In 1993, Naga-Kuki clashes were occurring in which 700 were killed, 200 injured and 45,000 became refugees. The clashes happened for one year. Who answered in the Lok Sabha? MoS Rajesh Pilot and they do not allow me to speak. The Home Minister did not visit the place and they are disrupting the House asking Prime Minister to speak,”

He further added, “In 2004, 1700 people were encountered when Prime Minister was Dr. Manmohan Singh and Home Minister P Chidambaram. There was no debate in the Parliament on this issue. Do not politicise this issue which is a matter of ethnic violence”.

20. Answering the Political Charges of Opposition bloc.

At the conclusion, Amit Shah dedicated his speech in countering the politically charged allegations of I.N.D.I.A. leaders in the house.

Shah stated that, “Highest number of ethnic violent incidents happened during the rule of Jawaharlal Nehru, Rajiv Gandhi and Indira Gandhi. We have always urged for peace even when we were in Opposition”.

He highlighted how damage was done to institutions under the Indira Gandhi regime. He mentioned how senior most judges were bypassed, JNU was clamped down and powers of autonomous institutions such as UPSC curtailed.

He also remarked that the opposition has to change its name from UPA to INDIA due to the burden of scams over the former name.

The Home Minister ended his speech by repeatedly appealing all the factions in Manipur to maintain peace and abjure violence of any kind.