by Ashis Sinha
# PM Modi Mocks Congress and Rahul Gandhi with ‘Sholay’ Reference in Parliament Speech
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his speech on the Motion of Thanks to President Droupadi Murmu’s joint address to Parliament, took a dig at Congress and its leader Rahul Gandhi by referencing the iconic Bollywood film ‘Sholay.’
Modi drew a parallel between the Congress party’s claim of moral victories and a famous scene from ‘Sholay,’ where the character Jay, played by Amitabh Bachchan, speaks to Basanti’s aunt, played by Leela Mishra.
The Prime Minister quipped, “The statements of Congress leaders have even surpassed film Sholay. You all would remember mausi ji from the film. Teesri baar toh haare hain par mausi ji, moral victory toh hai na (we have lost third time but Mausi ji, it is a moral victory).”
He continued to mock Rahul Gandhi by saying, “Arey Mausi, 13 rajyon mein zero seat aayi hai par hero to hai na (Mausi, we got zero seats in 13 states but I am a hero),” implying that despite their poor performance, Congress and its leaders are celebrating small wins and ignoring the broader electoral setbacks.
Modi criticized Congress for failing to accept the election mandate and instead indulging in what he described as “fake victory celebrations.”
He urged the party to genuinely understand and respect the will of the people. “Do not drown the mandate in the intoxication of fake victory.
Honestly understand and accept the mandate of the people,” Modi stated emphatically.
Highlighting the Congress party’s deteriorating electoral performance, Modi declared, “I don’t know if the Congress allies have done an analysis of the polls. This election is also a message for these allies.
The Congress will be known as the Parjeevi Congress party from 2024.” He explained that ‘Parjeevi’ is a term for a parasite, suggesting that Congress survives by feeding off its allies’ strength.
Modi provided statistical evidence to back his claim, noting that where Congress was the major partner in an alliance, its strike rate was only 26 percent.
However, in states where it played a junior role, its success rate improved to 50 percent. He stressed that most of the 99 seats Congress won were due to the support of its allies, underscoring the party’s dependency.
The Prime Minister did not spare Rahul Gandhi either, describing his speech in the Lok Sabha as “childish.” He pointed out that this was the third consecutive election where Congress failed to secure more than 100 seats.
Modi added a humorous anecdote, comparing Congress’s celebration of winning 99 seats to a child rejoicing over scoring 99 out of 543, subtly indicating that there was little to celebrate.
“In 16 states where Congress contested alone, its vote share significantly declined.
In key states like Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh, where the party fought independently, it won just two out of 66 seats,” Modi elaborated. He concluded that Congress’s reliance on its allies to boost its seat count made it a parasitic entity in Indian politics.
Modi’s address was a comprehensive critique of Congress’s current state, highlighting its inability to adapt and succeed independently in the political landscape.
His use of a popular cultural reference made the criticism more relatable and impactful, drawing attention to the persistent challenges faced by the Congress party.
