Union Minister JP Nadda Mocks Opposition, Suggests Parliamentary Skills Training
Union Health Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party President JP Nadda delivered a sharp critique of opposition parties during parliamentary proceedings on 4 February, suggesting they require formal training to function effectively in Parliament. Speaking as the leader of the House in the Rajya Sabha during the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President's address, Nadda pointedly remarked that opposition members should learn parliamentary conduct from his extensive experience.
Nadda's Suggestion for Opposition Skill Development
In a moment of parliamentary theater, Nadda directed his comments toward Jayant Chaudhary, the Union Minister of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship since 2024. "I want to request Jayant to see if we have a chapter in his department on how to develop skills for Opposition parties," Nadda stated, suggesting the opposition's parliamentary performance warranted intervention through government skill development programs.
Jayant Chaudhary, a member of the Rashtriya Lok Dal who has served as a Rajya Sabha member from Uttar Pradesh since 2022, later shared video of the exchange on social media platform X with the caption: "Some humour for the opposition! Nadda ji's skills on display."
Drawing from Four Decades of Opposition Experience
Nadda emphasized his credentials for offering such advice, noting his extensive background in opposition politics. "The opposition should learn from us how to behave as opposition. I just told Jairam Ramesh that I have been in the opposition for forty years. You should learn from me," he declared during the parliamentary session.
The BJP president further criticized the opposition's track record, stating: "The Opposition's first job is to build credibility. You have not been able to build credibility in 11 years," in an apparent reference to the Congress-led opposition bloc's performance since the BJP assumed power at the national level in 2014.
Parliamentary Context and Disruptions
Nadda's remarks came during a particularly contentious parliamentary session. While he spoke in the Rajya Sabha, the Lok Sabha faced adjournment for the day amid ongoing opposition protests. These demonstrations marked the third consecutive day of disruptions, with opposition members engaging in sloganeering over what they perceived as the "disallowing" of Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi from speaking in the House.
The controversy stemmed from Gandhi's quotation during Tuesday's proceedings from an article citing excerpts from former Army chief MM Naravane's unpublished memoir concerning the 2020 India-China conflict. The parliamentary disruptions were significant enough that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was scheduled to speak in the Lok Sabha at 5 pm, did not address the House as planned.
Defending Government Achievements and Vision
Amid the political sparring, Nadda used his parliamentary address to highlight the government's accomplishments and future vision. He described the President's address as "a powerful reflection of India's developmental journey," noting it encompassed "our ancient cultural heritage, the 2047 Viksit Bharat roadmap, and the aspirations of 150 crore Indians."
The former BJP president praised what he characterized as "decisive leadership under PM Modi" and the nation's transformation under the current administration. He cited specific policy achievements, including the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on 22 September, which he said ushered in transparency and reforms in the indirect tax regime, resulting in substantial savings for citizens.
Nadda's comments reflect ongoing tensions between the ruling party and opposition in Parliament, with the Health Minister using his platform to both critique opposition tactics and promote government achievements during a session marked by procedural disruptions and political theater.
