'People want substance, not drama': PM Modi's message to Opposition as Parliament session commences

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday told the Opposition, which is stronger this time, that people want substance, not slogans in Parliament, and that they should live up to the expectations of the common citizens. In a brief statement ahead of the Parliament session, the Prime Minister said the people of the country expect good steps from the opposition. 

"I hope that the opposition will live up to the expectations of the common citizens of the country to maintain the dignity of democracy. People do not want drama, disturbance. People want substance, not slogans," he said, adding that the country needs a good opposition, a responsible opposition and "I have full faith that the MPs who have won in this 18th Lok Sabha will try to fulfill these expectations of the common man".

The opposition INDIA bloc has 234 members of Parliament (MPs) this time, 143 more from 2019. The opposition is expected to raise its voice in the House, considering its strength against the NDA, which suffered a massive decline in this election. The BJP-led NDA has 293 MPs, with the BJP alone sending 240.     

The Prime Minister said that the people of the country had given the NDA an opportunity for the third time and its responsibility had "increased threefold". "So, I assure the countrymen that in our third tenure, we will work three times harder and we will get three-time results."

PM Modi also attacked the Congress over the Emergency, which was imposed by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on June 25, 1975. "Tomorrow is 25th June. 25th June marks 50 years of the blot that was put on the democracy of India. The new generation of India will never forget that the Constitution of India was completely rejected, every part of the Constitution was torn to pieces, the country was turned into a prison, and democracy was completely suppressed.

"While protecting our Constitution, the democracy of India, the democratic traditions, the countrymen will take a resolution that no one will dare to do such a thing in India again which was done 50 years ago. We will take a resolution of a vibrant democracy. We will take a resolution to fulfill the dreams of the common people as per the directions of the Constitution of India," he said. 

Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge hit back at the PM, saying he tried to break the Constitution. "He will say this 100 times. Without declaring an emergency, you are doing this. How long do you want to rule by talking about this?" Kharge said.