In a sharp attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP-led central government, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday alleged that the Modi administration is systematically dismantling India’s public sector and warned that the Prime Minister might “sell the country” if the current trend continues.
Speaking at an All India Congress Committee (AICC) session in Ahmedabad, Kharge accused the government of enabling corporate monopolies and prioritizing crony capitalism over public welfare.
“A monopoly is being created in the country’s economy. Public properties are being handed over to private players. They’re dismantling one public sector enterprise after another and helping their friends. If this continues, Modi and his government will one day sell the entire country,” Kharge said.
He accused the government of undermining public sector institutions built by leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru and questioned what legacy this administration plans to leave for future generations.
Kharge also launched a scathing attack on the central government’s alleged interference in democratic institutions, claiming that constitutional bodies, including election institutions, were no longer independent.
“Today, election institutions are under government control. They are meddling in everything and asserting dominance across all sectors. Election scams are happening right under their nose,” he said.
The Congress President took issue with the continued use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), arguing that many developed nations have abandoned them in favor of ballot papers due to concerns over transparency and fairness.
“Developed countries have moved back to ballot papers, while we continue with EVMs. There are no EVMs anywhere else in the world. The youth of India will soon demand the return of ballot-based voting,” Kharge predicted.
He also criticized the Modi government for its lack of debate on critical issues, including the recent 26% tariff imposed by the United States on Indian goods, which he said was deliberately kept out of Parliament discussions.
“We tried to raise the tariff issue in Parliament, but they didn’t allow it. Instead, they use Parliament sessions for communal debates and avoid accountability on real issues like unemployment, inflation, and international trade,” he added.
On the handling of sensitive matters like Manipur, Kharge said the government tried to suppress opposition voices by scheduling debates in the early hours of the morning.
“Debates on Manipur started at 4:40 AM. When I asked Amit Shah to postpone the discussion to the next day to allow proper deliberation, the government refused. This shows they’re trying to hide their failures,” Kharge claimed.
Kharge’s speech reflected growing tensions between the opposition and the BJP-led government, with the Congress continuing to accuse the Centre of authoritarianism, economic favoritism, and democratic backsliding ahead of the upcoming general elections.
