Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi told ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lawmakers on Wednesday that the national interest was their prime concern, and criticized opposition parties for putting party interests above the national interest.
His comments came after India’s principal opposition party Congress, demanded the resignation of federal Home Minister Amit Shah over the Delhi riots over the contentious citizenship law.
The issue of communal riots in Delhi disrupted business in both houses of Parliament - the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha - on Monday and Tuesday.
Opposition parties led by Congress were demanding the resignation of Amit Shah, as Delhi Police comes directly under his ministry, and he has failed to stop communal violence in the northeastern part of the capital, which has already taken the lives of 47 people and injured more than 300.
“We are here for the national interest. PM Modi also said that the nation is supreme, and that development is our mantra (motto),” federal Parliamentary Affairs Minister Prahlad Joshi said, quoting Prime Minister Modi. The statement was made at a weekly meeting of BJP.
Referring to the latest communal riots in Delhi, Modi said that unless peace prevails, (economic) development could not become a reality.
Modi also slammed the Congress Party for criticising the slogan 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' (Hail Mother India).
The worst-ever riots in the national capital since the 1984 anti-Sikh riots following the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, saw large scale arson in some parts of northeast Delhi, where hundreds of shops and houses, two schools and scores of vehicles were set on fire or severely damaged.
