Even Indian Mujahideen, East India Company, PFI use India name: PM Modi's attack on 'directionless' Opposition

Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a swipe at the Opposition for continuously disrupting the monsoon session of the Parliament and said, “We have never seen such a directionless Opposition”.

Addressing the BJP Parliamentary meeting in the national capital, PM Modi spoke about the Opposition unity’s name I.N.D.I.A and said merely adding the name doesn’t bring any difference.

The Prime Minister compared the I.N.D.I.A alliance with the British-era East India Company. He said the job of the current Opposition in the Parliament is to protest as he asked his party leaders to “focus” on work.

“… As the Britishers came and named themselves East India Company, in the same way, the Opposition is presenting itself in the name of India,” PM Modi said, adding “India was also in the name of Indian Mujahideen and PFI.”

PM Shri @narendramodi and other senior leaders arrive for the BJP Parliamentary Party Meeting in New Delhi. pic.twitter.com/3Hk6q5wlwa

— BJP (@BJP4India) July 25, 2023

"PM Modi said at BJP meet that those wanting to rule, break country had names like 'East India Company', Indian Mujahideen; people won't be misled," BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri told media.

The Prime Minister also said the Opposition is scattered and desperate.

PM Modi further said that the attitude of the Opposition seems to be such that they do not have the desire to remain in power for a long time.

'BJP coming back to power in 2024'

"We are proud of our Prime Minister. We are coming back to power in 2024. PM Modi has given a statement that Indian National Congress, East India Company was founded by a foreign national. Today people are using names like Indian Mujahideen and Indian People's Front. Something on face value could be different from something that is really true," BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad said.

#WATCH | BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad, says "We are proud of our PM. We are coming back to power in 2024. PM Modi has given a statement that Indian National Congress, East India Company was founded by a foreign national. Today people are using names like Indian Mujahideen and… pic.twitter.com/XRpkEXl0eF

— ANI (@ANI) July 25, 2023

'Fashionable to add India to the name'

BJP MP Nishikant Dubey said, "Indian National Congress was founded by AO Hume, a foreign national. Mujahideen call themselves Indian Mujahideen. PFI also calls itself 'Popular Front of India'. It has become fashionable to add India to the name. They (opposition parties) are urban Naxalites and are adding India to legitimise themselves."

#WATCH | BJP MP Nishikant Dubey says, "Indian National Congress was founded by AO Hume, a foreign national. Mujahideen call themselves Indian Mujahideen. PFI also calls itself 'Popular Front of India'. It has become fashionable to add India to the name. They (opposition parties)… pic.twitter.com/pt4EZ2te15

— ANI (@ANI) July 25, 2023

Parliament's Monsoon Session began on 20 July but it has been marked by frequent interruptions due to protests, sloganeering, and disruptions by members of the Opposition alliance I.N.D.I.A.

Their primary demand is a statement from Prime Minister Modi regarding the situation in Manipur, leading to a long list of pending legislative matters on the agenda.

On Tuesday, the fourth day of the monsoon session started as opposition MPs of the Rajya Sabha continued their sit-in protest over the suspension of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Sanjay Singh for the current session of the Parliament as well as the Manipur issue.

Both the houses - Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha - were adjourned for the day on Monday amid sloganeering by opposition MPs on the Manipur issue.