From Rafale to Rahul Gandhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s speech at the inauguration of the National War Memorial in New Delhi on Monday, 25 February, might have garnered many headlines, but it hasn’t gone down very well with many servicemen and journalists, who say, it was not the right platform for the PM to talk politics.
Modi, on Monday, inaugurated the memorial adjoining the iconic India Gate complex in the heart of the capital, where he slammed the Gandhi family, accused it of defence scams, discussed the Rafale deal, and also accused the previous governments of disrespecting martyrs.
Many ex-servicemen took to Twitter to express their disappointment over the choice of topics that the Prime Minister spoke on at the event.
Why Bring Politics Into This? Journalists Ask
Journalists too condemned the speech and many media persons took to Twitter to say that the Prime Minister should have kept politics out.
Nothing Is Sacred for Modi: Oppn Slams PM
Many Opposition leaders and party spokespersons also criticised Modi for his speech.
Targeting the Gandhi family, the Prime Minister said, "From Bofors to helicopters (AgustaWestland VVIP chopper), all the probe leads to the doors of one family. And it says a lot."
"They had made the Army and the national security means of earning for themselves. They wanted to forget the martyrs," Modi said.
Attacking the Congress, Modi said, "Few people think their family interests come before the interest of the nation."
"Today, people are asking why such injustice was done with the heroes and martyrs? What were the reasons that no one focused on the martyrs? India first or ‘family first’?" Modi asked.
"Earlier, from schools to hospitals, highways to airports and awards, there was just the name of one family," he said.
Modi also said his government was bringing in modern weaponry to strengthen the armed forces in the country. "Major defence decisions in the national interest, which were earlier ignored or halted, are now being taken without any delay.
The government has given its nod to purchase 72,000 assault rifles and 25,000 crore ammunition, Modi said.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)