‘Those who didn’t believe in Constitution, participate in Dandi March, Quit India Movement…’: Kharge lashes out at Modi, BJP

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his reply to the debate on the Motion of Thanks on the President's Address in the Rajya Sabha. Kharge said that PM Modi only focussed on criticising the Congress party and did not touch upon issues such as unemployment, price rise and economic inequality. 

Kharge added that PM Modi said “countless” false things about Congress. "Those who did not believe in the Constitution, did not participate in the Dandi March and the Quit India Movement have the audacity to today preach patriotism to the Congress party," he added.

"Modiji, in your speeches in both the Houses, you only cursed the Congress. Despite being in power for 10 years, instead of talking about himself, he only criticises the Congress party. Even today, he did not talk about price rise, unemployment and economic inequality,” said the Congress president. 

Terming NDA as ‘No Data Available’ government, Kharge highlighted that there has been no Census 2021, no employment data or no health survey. "The government hides all the statistics and spreads lies. Modi ki Guarantee is only to spread lies," Kharge said.

Unemployment rate during UPA rule was 2.2 per cent, then why is it at a 45-year high now, asked Kharge. The average GDP growth during the UPA (United Progressive Alliance) rule was 8.13 per cent, then why is it 5.6 per cent now, asked Kharge. 

The Congress leader said that the UPA brought 14 crore people out of poverty in 10 years. He accused PM Modi of nitpicking speeches from here and there to spread lies. 

India’s progress in digital transformation was founded on the Aadhaar-DBT-bank account framework laid by Congress-led UPA, he added. He said 65 crore Aadhaar cards were made till 2014 already and the direct transfer of subsidies had already started. Kharge said 33 crore bank accounts for the poor were already opened under the Swabhiman Yojana. 

There are 30 lakh posts vacant in the government, said Kharge, adding that most of the Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST) and Other Backward Classes (OBC) posts, and nearly 3 lakh posts are lying vacant in five ministries -- railway, steel, civil aviation, defence (without troops) and petroleum. He also said that 70 per cent of the teachers in Eklavya schools are on contract basis. 

Kharge also said the gap between exports and imports has increased 3 times in the last 10 years. 

Also read: 'India became third-largest economy in 2011, PM Modi won't accept it,' says Congress chief Kharge