PM Narendra Modi on Wednesday delivered his reply to the Motion of Thanks on President's address in Lok Sabha. He walked onto the floor amid chants of Jai Shri Ram when BJP's Mangaldoi (Assam) Dilip Saikia was attacking Rahul Gandhi and the Congress, accusing them of having abandoned the region, "just like former PM Jawahar Lal Nehru".


PM Modi began his speech at 3.53 pm and ended it at 5.18 pm. The speech which lasted over an hour was dotted with chants of "Modi, Modi" from the BJP MPs and "Adani, Adani" slogans by the Opposition.


During his speech, the PM touched upon several points, including India's phenomenal growth in multiple sectors, the Congress's alleged scams during the UPA governments, and detailed the government's efforts for the development of the country. Here the top quotes from PM Modi's speech in Lok Sabha on Wednesday:


1. PM Modi began his speech by praising President Droupadi Murmu. "In her visionary Address, the President guided us and crores of Indians. Her presence as the Head of the Republic is historic as well as inspiring for the daughters and sisters of the country," PM Modi said. "The President has enhanced the pride of the tribal community. Today, after several years of independence, there is a sense of pride in the tribal community and an increase in their self-confidence. This nation and House is grateful to her for this," he said.


2. PM Modi then targeted the Congress, alleging that a big leader from the Opposition had insulted President Droupadi Murmu and the tribal community on TV. He was seemingly referring to Adhir Ranjan Choudhury on Wednesday referring to the President by a word that is considered an insult. "Later, that leader tried to mitigate the crisis by writing a letter," PM Modi said. He, however, did not take any name.



3. Listing out India's progress in various sectors, PM Modi said: "This government believes in reforms out of conviction, not compulsion."


4. PM Modi hit out at the Opposition, saying that they weren't being able to accept India's development. "Some people have become hopeless, they aren't being able to accept India's progress. They are oblivious to the success of crores of Indians... We are among the top three startup ecosystems in the world... Even during the Covid period, we gave the world 108 unicorns. Today India is the second-largest manufacturer of mobiles. We are the third ranked nation in domestic air travel. India is ranked 4th in the renewable energy sector," PM Modi said in Lok Sabha.


5. PM Modi pointed out the 2G and CWG scams under Congress's rule. "From 2004-2014, India's economy was in the doldrums. India's inflation was in double-digits. These years were marked by scams. Every corner of the nation saw terror attacks. When the world was progressing, Congress was stuck in 2G and CWG scams,"


6. He said that the 2030s would be India's decade. "UPA's trademark was to let every opportunity turn into crisis from 2004-2014. They showed just a law in the name of removing unemployment. 2004-2014 was a decade of scams and violence. 2004-2010 would be known as the Lost Decade. But the 2030s would be India's decade," PM Modi said.


7. Taking another dig at the Opposition, PM Modi said that it took the Enforcement Directorate to bring the Opposition on a united platform. "They should have come together on the electoral platform. But it was the Enforcement Directorate that brought them together when the electorate failed," he said, referring to the Opposition's repeated allegations of the "misuse of central agencies".


8. PM Modi then pointed out that the decline of Congress was so remarkable that even Harvard Business School had conducted a study on it titled 'The Rise and Decline of India's Congress Party' "Not just Harvard, all big universities of the world will conduct studies on Congress' downfall," the PM said.


9. Responding to the Opposition's attacks on him over various issues, PM Modi said: "Those who are drunk in arrogance and think that only they have the knowledge, feel that only by abusing Modi a way will come out... that only through false, nonsensical mudslinging on Modi a path will be paved." It has been 22 years, they still have a misapprehension. Trust of crores of people is my suraksha kavach (protective shield). It can't be breached by your abuses and allegations. People's trust in Modi is not due to newspaper headlines or TV visuals, but due to my years of dedication. Our priority is to work for the welfare of the deprived, poor, and tribals. That is our mission," PM Modi said.


10. Before his closing statement, PM Modi took a dig at Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra. He said: "A leader just came from J&K. There was a time when terrorists put up posters against me, threatening to kill me if I hoisted the Tricolour at Lal Chowk. That didn't deter me. I went there without security or a bulletproof jacket. Today, times have changed and people can walk freely there."