They went to SC, but it gave them a shock: PM mocks Opposition

Taking a dig at political parties who approached the Supreme Court alleging arbitrary use of central probe agencies against opposition leaders, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said the court gave them a 'jolt' by refusing to entertain their plea.

Modi, who addressed a public meeting in Hyderabad after laying foundation stone and inaugurating several development projects, also said the lack of cooperation from the state government is leading to delay in the completion of several central projects in Telangana.

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao did not attend the inauguration of Vande Bharat train between Secunderabad and Tirupati, and also Modi's event dedicating to the nation and laying the foundation stone for several development projects in Telangana.

Rao has stayed away from the events of Modi during the latter's visits to the state for more than a year now.

Observing that it is the people of Telangana who are at a loss, PM Modi urged the state government to not allow any hindrance in the works related to the development.

Modi, who slammed dynastic politics, said his government has attacked the real root of corruption of dynastic forces who want to keep their control over every system.

"Should we fight against corruption or not? Should we fight against the corrupt or not? Should the country be liberated from corruption or not? Should legal steps be taken against the corrupt however big or not. Should the law be allowed to work against the corrupt or not," he asked the gathering.

That's why 'these people' are upset and they are doing anything out of anger, Modi said.

"A few days ago, some political parties went to the court seeking protection that no one should seek to inquire our (parties) books filled with corruption. They went to court, but court gave them a shock," Modi said, without taking any names.

Recently, as many as 14 political parties led by the Congress filed a petition in the apex court alleging that there has been an alarming rise in the use of coercive criminal processes against opposition political leaders and other citizens exercising their fundamental right to dissent.

However, the Supreme Court, refusing to entertain the plea, observed that politicians do not have 'higher immunity'.

On April 5, a bench of Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justice J B Pardiwala expressed disinclination to entertain the petition, saying courts are always there for taking up the grievances of political leaders as they do for common citizens.

Modi, who said corruption and 'parivarvaad' (dynasty) are not different from each other, stated that every type of corruption begins to grow where there is 'parivarvaad'.

The main mantra of dynasty and dynastic politics is control of all, he opined.

The dynasts want to keep their control over every system and does not like it at all that someone challenges their control, he said.

Giving the example of the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system promoted by his government and the promotion of digital payments across the country, the Prime Minister said the dynastic forces did not to give up their control on the system earlier.

The dynasts want to keep control of which beneficiary would get what benefit and this had three meanings.

Firstly, Modi said, the family should continue to be praised; secondly, the money coming through corruption should keep coming to the family; and thirdly, the money that is sent to the poor should continue to be received by the corrupt ecosystem.

While fulfilling the aspirations of people is a priority for his government, a handful are agitated by the progress of development, he said.

Those who have been nurturing dynasty, nepotism and corruption have nothing to do with the interest of the country and the welfare of society, Modi said.

They like to see only the prosperity of their family and these people see the self-interest of their family in every project and investment, he added.

"Telangana needs to be very alert against such people," Modi asserted.

Expressing 'pain' at the alleged non-cooperation of the BRS government towards central government initiatives aimed at Telangana, he appealed to the Rao-led dispensation to not allow any hindrance in development being planned for the people of the state.

The non-cooperation of the state government in Centre's projects is affecting the dreams of the people of Telangana, he said, while stressing on the state's progress as being important for overall national growth.

Modi said due to the Covid pandemic and the continuing Russia-Ukraine war, the world was witnessing ups and downs in the economy, but amid this uncertainty, India was one of the countries that was investing record amount on infrastructure modernisation.

He said Rs 10 lakh crore was allotted for infrastructure modernisation in this year's Union budget.

Earlier in the day, PM Modi flagged off the Vande Bharat Express train between Secunderabad and Tirupati at the Secunderabad Railway station in Hyderabad.

Secunderabad is the headquarters of South Central Railway zone.

The Vande Bharat train will reduce the travel time between Secunderabad and Tirupati in the neighbouring state by almost three and half hours and will be particularly beneficial to pilgrims.

The indigenous semi-high speed train is the second Vande Bharat train to be operated between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

On January 15, Modi had virtually flagged off the Vande Bharat train service between Secunderabad and the port city of Visakhapatnam in AP, which was the first such service connecting the two Telugu-speaking states.

Modi said the new Vande Bharat train service, which was flagged off from Secunderabad to Tirupati, links the city of the temple of Goddess Bhagya Lakshmi (Hyderabad) with the abode of Lord Sri Venkateswara in Tirupati.

India's symbol of pride on rail tracks, the Vande Bharat is connecting technology and tourism across the nation, he said.

Prior to flagging off the Vande Bharat Express, Modi carried out a brief inspection of the train and interacted with school students and crew members (loco pilot).

Addressing the gathering, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, railways is witnessing all-round development with world-class stations, trains and fast progress in completion of new lines, doubling and electrification projects.

Modi also launched several important rail developmental projects in Telangana, including laying of foundation stone for redevelopment of Secunderabad Railway Station at cost of Rs 720 crore, dedication of doubling and electrification of Secunderabad-Mahabubnagar section to the nation.

He also flagged off 13 new multi-modal transport system (MMTS) train services in the suburban section of the Telangana capital.

Modi also laid the foundation stone and dedicated to the nation various projects worth over Rs 11,300 crore at Parade Ground in Hyderabad.

The projects include laying the foundation stone of AIIMS-Bibinagar, Hyderabad, and five National Highway projects.