New Delhi: Minister of Earth Sciences Kiren Rijiju speaks in the Lok Sabha during the ongoing Monsoon session of Parliament, in New Delhi, Tuesday, August 08, 2023. (Photo: IANS/SANSAD TV)
New Delhi, August 8 (IANS) Science and Technology Minister Kiren Rijiju on Tuesday attacked the opposition in Lok Sabha, claiming that prior to 2014, many people from the Northeast faced racial discrimination and atrocities, however the situation has completely changed now.
"Before 2014, many people from the Northeast faced racial discrimination and atrocities in Delhi and other major cities of the country. After 2014 the situation changed, and the DGP conference was held in Guwahati for the first time after Independence. During this meeting, the prime minister directed that police must ensure the security of people from the Northeast," Rijiju said while participating in the discussion on the no-confidence motion.
He questioned the timing of the no-confidence motion, saying it had been brought at a wrong time and in a wrong manner.
Rijiju said this in the context of the fact that when the world is hailing prime minister Narendra Modi as a world leader and the country is marching ahead to become a developed nation by 2047, there was no need for such a motion against the government.
Rather, Rijiju said, the opposition should join hands with the government and work towards achieving the target set by the prime minister for the next 25 years.
"You may not like BJP or Modi, but you should support India," he said, adding, "You should not oppose India by assuming the name INDIA (opposition alliance)."
Talking about the European Parliament's resolution on developments in Manipur, the minister said India is strong enough to deal with domestic issues and no foreign power needs to interfere in the affairs of the country.
While speaking in Lok Sabha, Rijiju said, "When our government was formed, in the first cabinet meeting, (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi ji made a group and said that after every 15 days, five cabinet ministers and seven ministers of state must tour the Northeast. It is still going on, all the ministers sitting here have toured the northeast."
"PM Modi has also given directives to officials to visit the Northeast and meet people. There is no meaning of ruling from Delhi, one can reach the people through service. You never thought about this. The prime minister has won the confidence of the people," Rijiju said.
The Congress later took a swipe at Rijiju's remarks, with Jairam Ramesh saying, "Yes, we all know about the frequency of visits of Union Ministers before any election. But it has been 97 days since the horrific ethnic violence broke out in Manipur. INDIA asks how many of Modi’s Ministers have been to Manipur?"
"We challenge you to furnish details of the visits of Union Ministers to Manipur in the last 97 days," Ramesh added.
Meanwhile Rijiju while participating in the discussion on the no-confidence motion, said that in the past India did not manage to win medals in Olympics, while it was only in 2020 Tokyo Olympics that the country won seven medals for the first time, due to prime minister's "focussed attention" on players.
He went on to claim that even he would have won medals when he used to play, if Narendra Modi had been the prime minister at that time.
The Lok Sabha was later adjourned for the day at 6 pm, and the discussion on the no-confidence motion is to continue on August 9 also.
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