PM debunks Congress charge that NDA schemes are repackaged

Debunking Congress criticism that his government was repackaging UPA's schemes, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today hit back saying the Congress-led government on the contrary had copied programmes of the first NDA government led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Maintaining that he has always given credit to previous governments as well for the development of the country, Modi took potshots at Congress saying how will they accept the role of somebody else in development, when they do not give credit to anybody else even for the freedom struggle.

"Many times I hear that the schemes are not new. They are the old ones. The issue is not that. The issue is the problems are old," he said while replying to a debate on Motion of Thanks to the President's Address.
He said he can go to as far as 1985 or 1986 but he was not doing so and confining to the 10 years of rule UPA.

He listed a number of schemes to hammer home the point that UPA copies schemes launched during the Vajpayee tenure.

"The Multi Purpose National Identity Card scheme of NDA became Aadhar. Sampoorna Gramin Rojgar Yojna turned into MNREGA. Freedom of Information Act was brought during Atal ji's time. You brought Right to Information. Antoydaya Anna Yojana came during Atal ji's time, you brought Food Security Act. In Atal ji's time it was Sarva Shiksha Abhiyaan, you brought Right to Education Act. There was Total Sanitation campaign, you brought Nirmal Bharat," he said amid thumping of desk by members of the treasury benches and some protests from the other side.

Modi's attack was directed at Congress, which has time and again alleged that the NDA government led by him is 'copycat' government and just renamed UPA's schemes. 

The Prime Minister also hit back at the Congres over its criticism that the NDA government treated its officers shabbily and removed them in an indignified manner. He cited cases where UPA government had removed officers unceremoniously.

"Anand Sharma ji has expressed grief over the transfer of officers...When your government was formed in 2004, you removed the Cabinet Secretary without a moment's delay, appointed foreign secretary bypassing seniority, removed Home Secretary and Defence Secretary. You removed Governors in a humiliating manner," he said responding to Sharma's criticism, adding his government did not do so.

Replying to the debate in the motion, Sharma had criticized the government over treatment meted out to many people in important positions especially to the former DRDO Chief Avinash Chander amongst others.

He recalled that when Ghulam Nabi Azad was the Health Minister, he had removed Health Secretary at a time when the latter was being felicitated with a UN award for polio eradication.
"Before giving sermons, one should look into a mirror... Let us decide what to reveal.. I am new but the treasure trove is huge," he said sarcastically.

He recalled that he had said it from Red Fort that all the previous governments had made contributions to nation-building and hit out at Congress for not doing so.
"I am not of the view that since we are sitting here, only we have all the knowledge. Nobody can claim perfection... I had said it from the Red Fort in my first Independence Day speech that all governments, all Prime Ministers, all state governments have contributed in taking the country forward. We do not believe that everything has happened in last nine months since we came to power. We also do not accept that the country was born in 1947. The country is there for centuries.... It is the people and not the governments, which have made this country," he said.
He said, "At least, do not view us from the thinking that you have lived. Do not decorate us with those titles." 

The Prime Minister also referred to his barb in Lok Sabha on MNREGA last week. "I do not want to repeat what I said in other house. it is well registered," he said with a smile referring to his remarks that he will continue with the flagship rural job scheme of the UPA as it shows the failure of Congress.

The remarks was protested vociferoulsy by some Opposition members, who said that the Prime Minister was not speaking the truth.

Modi also had a dig at the CPI-M saying there are people who want to govern on the basis of an "imported ideology".

He said the party had put back West Bengal in development during its 34-year rule.

Regarding CPI-M leader's Sitaram Yechury concern over closure of Nokia factory in Chennai which had led to job loss of 25,000 people, he said it had closed down due to the actions of the previous government.
"We are making efforts to see that the Nokia factory becomes functional again," he said.

Modi told a protesting Trinamool Congress MP Derek 'O' Brien in a lighter vein that he does not want to blame him.

"After all you have to keep your CR perfect," he said.

On foreign policy issue, the Prime Minister said that the government believes in having close friendship with all countries but on an equal footing.

He also cited the return of Father Prem from Afghanistan and bringing back 12 thousand Indians from various countries including sister nurses of Kerala saying it quite an achievement.