Narendra Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeted the Indian contingent that participated in the XXXIII Olympic Games in Paris this year with the warmest regards.

But a video from 2013 doing the rounds on social media of the time when Modi was the chief minister of Gujarat and had blasted the Manmohan Singh-led UPA government for failing to win Olympic medals might be leaving a bitter after taste.

The Kerala Congress shared the post taking potshots at PM Modi for the fewer medals that India won at the Paris Olympics.

In 2013 erstwhile Gujarat CM @narendramodi was angry at Congress Govt for not getting Olympic Gold medals. Highlights from his speech:

- Its a shame that Country of 120 Cr people is unable to win enough medals
- Why was the education system not focussed on this? Did we give… pic.twitter.com/gtZURzx6w1

— Congress Kerala (@INCKerala) August 12, 2024

Modi is seen fervently addressing a crowd, “Whenever our country of 120 crore people participates in the Olympics, the world media and leaders remark that such a huge country can’t even win a gold medal.”

Modi attributes this failure to several flaws in policymaking, and questions the Manmohan government, “Did we incorporate sport within our education system? Did we allow our youth (to perform)? How can a country of 120 crore not produce medalists?”

Modi, thereafter, suggests a solution for achieving this feat, stating, “Merely if army personnel are designated with doing this task and a thorough mapping is conducted among their ranks, and if provided with sufficient training, they can easily bring home five to ten medals every time.”

The internet users, however, have shed light upon India’s achievements in the Paris Olympics 2024, and what Modi in 2013 had to say about a similar result the country achieved in London Olympics 2012.

Modi in 2013 had mocked the ruling government for their inability to produce medals, stating, “What happens then? Banging our heads in despair, saying we couldn’t do anything, couldn’t win anything. And this follows what? Boasting about a couple of medals won out of sheer luck. This is not how a country works.”

He even attacked the government for aimlessly building educational infrastructure, saying, “We have to decide whether our efforts will be after ‘university buildings’ (infrastructure) or ‘building the university’ (environment)”