New Delhi:Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday said the Congress stands "badly exposed" in front of people for promising to them what the party knows it will never be able to deliver.
PM Modi launched a scathing attack on the grand old party as he seized on its president Mallikarjun Kharge's comments that the Congress' state units should make promises that are properly budgeted and do not lead to financial troubles amid reports of fiscal problems the party-ruled states are facing in keeping some of their pre-poll announcements.
PM Modi said, "The Congress party is realising the hard way that making unreal promises is easy but implementing them properly is tough or impossible. Campaign after campaign they promise things to the people which they also know they will never be able to deliver. Now, they stand badly exposed in front of the people!"
He said the developmental trajectory and fiscal health in the Congress-ruled states of Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka and Telangana is turning from bad to worse.
People will have to be vigilant against the Congress-sponsored culture of fake promises, he said. "We saw recently how the people of Haryana rejected their lies and preferred a government that is stable, progress-oriented and action-driven." There is a growing realisation across India that a vote for the Congress is a vote for non-governance, poor economics and unparalleled loot, the prime minister said in a series of posts on X with the hashtag "fake promises of Congress".
He said the "so-called guarantees" of the Congress lie unfulfilled, which is a "terrible deceit" upon the people of these states.
Modi added that the victims of such politics are the poor, youngsters, farmers and women who are not only denied the benefits of these promises but also see their existing schemes diluted.
In Karnataka, the Congress is busier in intra-party politics and loot instead of even bothering to deliver on development. Not only that, they are also going to roll back existing schemes, Modi said. In Himachal Pradesh, he added, salaries of government employees are not paid on time and Telangana farmers are waiting for the waiver they were promised.
"Previously, in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, they promised certain allowances which were never implanted for five years. There are numerous such examples of how the Congress works. The people of India want development and progress, not the same old fake promises of Congress," PM Modi said.
Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge hit back at the PM saying that "Modi ki Guarantee is a cruel joke on 140 crore Indians'.
In an elaborate post on X, Kharge said, "Lies, Deceit, Fakery, Loot & Publicity are the 5 adjectives which best describe your government"
"Your drumbeating regarding a 100-day plan was a cheap PR stunt. On May 16, 2024, you had also claimed that you took inputs from more than 20 lakh people for the road map for 2047. RTI filed in PMO declined to put forth details, exposing your lies. The 'B' in BJP stands for betrayal, while the 'J' stands for Jumla," said Kharge.
Kharge, who is also the Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha asked numerous questions to the PM. "Setting the record straight. Promise of two crore Jobs per year? Why is India's Unemployment Rate at a 45-year high? Why are stampedes witnessed wherever there are vacancies for a handful of jobs? Who is responsible for 70 paper leaks in 7 years? Who snatched 5 Lakh Govt jobs by selling stake in PSUs?," Kharge asked.
The senior Congress leader from Karnataka also launched a no-holds-barred attack on the Modi government over inflation.
"Bahut Hui Mehangai Ki Maar? Why have the household savings plunged to a 50-year low? Why has the cost of a common thali increased by 52% in just last year? TOP — Tomato Prices increased by 247%, Potato by 180% and Onion by 60%? Who levied GST on essential food items such as Milk, Curd, Atta, Dal? Who is penalising the middle class through LTCG by indulging in Tax Terrorism?" Kharge asked.
Kharge also took a jibe at the Acche Din, a slogan coined by the BJP before the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.
"What happened to Acche Din? Rupee is at an all-time low. Is it in ICU or in Margdarshak Mandal? Your government has borrowed ₹150 lakh+ crores in the past 10 years, amounting to a debt of ₹1.5 lakh on every Indian. MSMEs have been destroyed through DeMO (demonitisation) + flawed GST. Economic inequality is at a 100-year-high. Average Growth is below 6 per cent in this lost decade, while during UPA it was 8 per cent. Private investment is at a 20-year low, while average growth in manufacturing is just 3.1% in the past decade, while it was 7.85 (%) during Congress-UPA, flopping tall claims of 'Make in India'," Kharge said.
"What happened to Viksit Bharat? Everything you claim to construct is collapsing like a pack of cards — Shivaji statue in Maharashtra inaugurated by you, Delhi Airport roof, Ram Mandir leaks in Ayodhya and Atal Setu develops cracks. Bridge collapses in Gujarat (Morbi), while new bridges falling is a regular feature in Bihar. Innumerable Railway accidents have taken place, while Minister is busy in REEL PR," Kharge said.
He also hit out at PM Modi over his slogan - 'Na Khaunga, Naa Khane Doonga'.
"What happened toNa Khaunga, Naa Khane Doonga? We have only two words for you — Modani Mega Scam & SEBI Chairperson. Looting through Unconstitutional Electoral Bonds by extortion is the BJP’s biggest financial crime. Nirav Modi, Mehul Choksi, Vijay Mallya etc al facilitated to run away looting thousands of crores," he said.
Kharge further said, "What happened to Main Desh Nahi Jhukne Doonga? India’s rank in the Global Hunger Index is at 105 (2024), while its rank in the UN Human Development Index is 134 and the Global Gender Gap Index is 129. Clean chit to China post-Galwan, red carpet for Chinese investments and ruining relations with every neighbouring country," he added.
Kharge also questioned what happened to the slogan 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas', which was used by PM Modi during campaigning before the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.
"What happened to Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas & Jai Kisan, Jai Jawan? 46% increase in crimes against SCs, while 48% increase in crimes against STs. Crimes against SC/ST women and children saw a 1.7 time increase in 2022 as compared to 2014, as per the NCRB. Snatching government jobs from SC, ST, OBC & EWS communities by 91% increase in Casual/Contract hiring. Jumla of doubling the income of farmers by 2022. Refusing legal guarantee for MSP. GST on 35 farm articles. Turning permanent recruitment to the Armed Forces to a temporary one through Agnipath. Modiji, before finger-pointing, please note that - Modi Ki Guaranteeis a cruel joke on 140 Crore Indians," Kharge concluded.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu also launched a scathing attack on PM Modi and the BJP for his remarks on the Congress.
Siddaramaiah in a post on X said, "Mr Narendra Modi, before pointing fingers at Congress, take a hard look at Karnataka BJP's disastrous legacy in Karnataka. We are fulfilling every promise we made to our people – all 5 guarantees implemented with a budget over Rs 52,000 crore, and an additional Rs 52,903 crore in capital outlay to build Karnataka’s future." Siddaramaiah listed the achievements of his government and said that the Congress in Karnataka has delivered while the BJP continues to fail Indians nationwide.
Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu also said that his government has fulfilled five of the 10 guarantees. In a post on X, Sukhu said, "The Congress government in Himachal Pradesh is steadfastly dedicated to fulfilling our promises and fostering inclusive development across the state. We are proud to have already delivered on five out of the ten guarantees made during the 2022 Vidhan Sabha elections."
He also listed out the achievements of his government in a series of posts on X.
Senior Congress leader KC Venugopal also targetted the PM and the BJP by saying, "Unlike the BJP’s election gimmicks, ours is a welfare model that has stood the test of time since independence. Insincere, vengeful and non-performing leaders have no right to create doubt over our governance."
