The Congress party responded to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent comments, accusing him of diverting attention from pressing national issues by promoting conspiracy theories ahead of the Budget Session of Parliament.
Modi had stated that, for the first time since 2014, there had been no foreign attempts to “stoke a fire” in India before the session began. Speaking to reporters, he claimed that previous Parliament sessions saw foreign influences attempting to provoke unrest.
Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge criticised Modi for raising such theories, which he said were not mentioned in the President’s address or supported by any official government statements. Kharge argued that Modi’s remarks were aimed at distracting the nation. “This is wrong,” he said in a post on social media.
Kharge also pointed out that Modi failed to acknowledge the role of Congress in the implementation of key projects like Aadhaar, UPI, and railway development in Kashmir, which were highlighted in the President’s speech. “I myself inaugurated two railway projects in Kashmir as Railway Minister,” Kharge added, accusing Modi of taking credit for Congress-led initiatives.
The Congress leader called on Modi to focus on concrete actions for the country’s development rather than deflecting attention. He also noted that Modi does not recognize the contributions of former leaders like Dr. Manmohan Singh and Jawaharlal Nehru.
Kharge also criticised the President’s address, saying it ignored critical issues such as youth employment, inflation, and the challenges faced by Dalits. He pledged to raise these concerns during the upcoming parliamentary discussions.
Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also responded to Modi’s comments, accusing him of avoiding discussions on the people’s issues. “He never addresses the real concerns of the public,” she said, referring to the lack of debate in previous parliamentary sessions.
In his remarks, Modi had also targeted opposition parties, suggesting that some were eager to create disturbances before each session. “Since 2014, there has always been an attempt to create unrest before every session,” he remarked, adding that this was the first session without such foreign interference.