NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday took a dig at the opposition parties and said they have decided to stay in the opposition benches for a long time. “I appreciate the resolution the opposition has taken. Every word of their speeches have confirmed my confidence and that of the country that they have resolved to stay there (in the opposition) for a long time,” he said.
In the upcoming Lok Sabha elections the people of the country will ensure that the opposition members sit in the visitors’ gallery, the PM said in his reply on the Motion of Thanks on the President’s address in Lok Sabha.

“For several decades you were sitting here (in the treasury benches), but now you have resolved to stay there (opposition benches) for several decades. The people will bless you and keep you there. You will achieve greater heights and will be soon seen in the public galleries (of the House),” the PM said.

The PM accused the Congress of failing to play the role of a constructive opposition in the last 10 years. “You have left the country disillusioned… Leaders have changed but the same tune continues,” he said.
Stating that dynasty politics has ruined the opposition parties, he said even the Congress has suffered due to it.
The party is on the verge of closing its shop in its bid to launch the same product over and over again, the PM said in a reference to Rahul Gandhi though he did not take the Congress leader’s name.

PM Modi also accused the Congress of not allowing other voices to emerge in opposition. “Congress is trapped in ‘cancel culture’, it seeks to cancel every achievement and success of the country,” PM Modi said.
“Congress had a good opportunity to play a good opposition, but failed in that role. There are other young people in the opposition, but they were not allowed to speak out of fear that it may overshadow a particular person,” Modi said in an apparent reference to Rahul Gandhi.
(With inputs from agencies)