New Delhi: Congress President and Rajya Sabha floor leader Mallikarjun Kharge launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of being “an expert in giving slogans” during his reply to the Motion of Thanks to the President’s address. Kharge’s remarks sparked strong rebuttals from the treasury bench.
Kharge stated, “For the last ten years, the opposition has been saying the same thing to the Prime Minister – don’t just give slogans, do some work too.” He listed various slogans attributed to PM Modi, including “Good days will come,” “Self-reliant India,” “Act East Policy,” “Save daughters, Educate daughters,” and “Everybody’s company will help in everybody’s growth,” accusing Modi of misleading the public with catchy phrases rather than concrete actions.
The Congress leader criticized the BJP for stifling the opposition’s voice and claimed the 18th Lok Sabha elections demonstrated that “arrogant slogans” have no place in a democracy.
Kharge referenced the BJP’s slogan “Abki bar, 400 par,” noting that the party failed to secure a majority and required support from allies to form the government.
He highlighted the ongoing struggle of the opposition to present its views in Parliament, alleging that the BJP aimed to eliminate opposition altogether. He pointed out that the Deputy Speaker post was left vacant for the first time during the 17th Lok Sabha. Kharge also quoted PM Modi’s previous statement, “One alone is stronger than all,” questioning the current power dynamics in the government.
He emphasized that the recent election results underscored the importance of the country’s constitution and the people’s will over arrogant slogans, asserting that democracy has no room for such arrogance.
Kharge also voiced strong opposition to the three new criminal laws replacing the colonial-era Indian Penal Code (IPC). He termed them “bulldozer justice” and criticized the ruling BJP for passing these laws while 146 MPs were suspended during the 17th Lok Sabha. He expressed his concerns on social media, stating that the BJP was pretending to respect the Constitution post-election but had forcibly implemented the new laws by suspending opposition MPs.
