The ongoing debate on the President’s Address saw a heated exchange in Parliament on Monday, with Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge sharply criticizing the ruling government, while BJP members defended Prime Minister Modi’s leadership. The debate took place ahead of Delhi’s assembly elections, set for February 5, with speeches touching on local and national issues alike.
Rahul Gandhi, in the Lok Sabha, led the opposition’s attack, emphasizing that India’s manufacturing sector, the backbone of national security and job creation, is in decline. He accused the Modi government’s “Make In India” initiative of failing to revive manufacturing, noting that its contribution to GDP had decreased from 15.3% in 2014 to 12.6%—the lowest in 60 years. Gandhi stressed that India had a significant opportunity in the sectors of energy, mobility, and technology, particularly renewable energy and AI, to boost manufacturing and job creation.
He also raised concerns about India’s dependence on Chinese imports for key technologies like motors and batteries, warning that this posed a risk to national security. Gandhi advocated for a caste census, proposing that AI could help ensure fair opportunities for marginalized communities, including Dalits, Adivasis, OBCs, and minorities.
In response, BJP leaders argued that under Modi’s leadership, India had made significant progress. Ravi Shankar Prasad countered Gandhi’s claims, stating that the country was now the fifth-largest economy, poised to become the third-largest in the near future. He also referenced Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s role in unifying India and contrasted it with Jawaharlal Nehru’s handling of Kashmir, claiming that only Modi had successfully managed the situation in the region, including overseeing elections.
Trinamool Congress leader Derek O’Brien also weighed in, criticizing the BJP’s governance, particularly its representation of women in Parliament. He pointed to the higher percentage of women MPs from his own party compared to the BJP and criticized the NDA government for its shaky leadership.
Meanwhile, Mallikarjun Kharge, the Congress president and Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, lambasted the government for its economic record, noting that the average GDP growth had dropped from 7.8% under the UPA to just 5.8% in recent years. Kharge questioned the government’s handling of farmers’ issues, particularly in light of the suicide of over 100,000 farmers in the past decade. He asked whether the current period was “Amrit Kaal” or “Vish Kaal” for farmers, accusing the government of failing to provide adequate support for their welfare.
Kharge also expressed concern over the stampede at the Maha Kumbh Mela, demanding transparency regarding the number of casualties. He criticized the weakening value of the rupee against the dollar, pointing to Modi’s earlier criticism of the UPA’s handling of the economy when he was Gujarat’s Chief Minister.
In response, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju challenged Kharge’s claims regarding the Kumbh stampede and the death toll of farmers, urging the opposition leader to provide substantiated evidence.
AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi also voiced concerns over proposed amendments to the Waqf Bill, warning that it could lead to social instability and conflict. He expressed strong opposition to any moves that would affect the Muslim community’s rights to religious property.
The discussion on the President’s Address will continue in both Houses of Parliament on Tuesday.