Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday had a piece of advice for Narendra Modi: “People need substance, not slogans — remember this yourself.”

It was a “right back at you” to the Prime Minister, who had earlier lectured the Opposition on its role in Parliament in his customary remarks, made to the media, ahead of the 18th Lok Sabha’s first sitting.

“The common man expects debate and diligence. People do not expect tantrums, drama and disturbance. They seek substance, not slogans,” Modi had said in a sermon to an Opposition that has enhanced its muscle power considerably in this year’s election.

“The people also expect constructive contributions from the Opposition. Despite the disappointment so far, I hope that in the 18th Lok Sabha, the Opposition will play its role effectively and uphold the dignity of our democracy,” he added.

It was left to Kharge to display the Opposition’s combative mood with his “remember this yourself” retort, which followed a spot indictment of the Prime Minister’s continued silence on various issues plaguing the country, from the Manipur strife to the exam paper leaks.

“PM Modi made a longer than usual customary address today. Clearly, even after moral and political defeat, the arrogance remains!” Kharge said. He reeled off a list of issues the nation was hoping to hear the Prime Minister speak about.

There was an expectation, Kharge said, that the Prime Minister would show some sympathy towards the youth regarding the alleged paper leaks vitiating various national-level examinations. “But he did not take any responsibility for the massive rigging and corruption of his government,” Kharge said.

Likewise, Modi had remained silent about the recent train accident in Bengal and the Manipur violence that was now in its 14th month, he added.

“Be it the floods in Assam and the Northeast, the backbreaking price rise, the historic fall of the rupee, or be it the exit poll-stock market scam, Modiji is mum,” Kharge said. “The Modi government has kept the next census pending for a long time; PM Modi was completely silent even on the caste census (demand).”

Modi had earlier in the morning tried to corner the Congress by flagging the 1975-77 Emergency, the 49th anniversary of whose declaration falls on Tuesday.

But the Congress president lobbed this too right back at the Prime Minister, saying: “You are reminding us of the 50-year-old Emergency but have forgotten the last 10 years of undeclared emergency, which was ended by the people.”