Modi tells party MPs to be wary of opposition’s bait

Addressing a gathering of MPs from the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday once again advised the lawmakers to watch their public statements to avoid controversies.

“Stay away from controversy and controversial statements. Do not speak out of turn or without any context,” he is said to have told the MPs, cautioning them against Opposition’s “attempts to provoke” them.

“The Opposition is frustrated and will make various attempts to provoke you. Therefore, it is important for Members of Parliament to understand the value of each spoken word and not fall into any trap,” he reportedly added.

PM Modi has in the past advised BJP MPs to “stay away from mics” and focus on the work assigned to them. The BJP top brass has often stated that “unnecessary remarks” on cultures, communities and cinema are no-go zones for its leaders.

In the run-up to the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, controversial remarks on Mahatma Gandhi by BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur had forced the Prime Minister to say he would never be able to forgive her for the statements.

In May last year, BJP national spokesperson Nupur Sharma triggered a massive controversy that transcended India’s borders with objectionable remarks against Prophet Mohammad. She was eventually suspended from the party.

The Prime Minister had addressed the NDA lawmakers as part of efforts to boost coordination among its constituents and shape the ruling bloc’s strategy for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

The first meeting was held on Wednesday with MPs from eastern region of Uttar Pradesh. The second meeting was with the alliance members from South, which included Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

The first meeting was hosted by senior minister in the Modi government, Mahendra Nath Pandey, along with the Union minister Anupriya Patel. Prime Minister Modi is also an MP from the eastern UP region, representing Varanasi in the Lok Sabha.

With inputs from News18

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