India: Congress president Kharge hits back at PM Modi over his 'Emergency black spot on democracy' remark

Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday (June 24) hit out at Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not speaking on issues like protests surrounding NEET, Manipur violence and the West Bengal train accident during his pre-Parliament address.

He sharply criticised the centre for talking about the Emergency that was brought over five decades ago questioning the government's intent on the number of times they wish to bring this up further.

"PM Modi will repeat this 100 times. Without declaring an emergency, you are acting this way. How long do you plan to rule by bringing this up?" Kharge said.

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He said that PM Modi had used "customary words" more than what was necessary, rather than speaking on issues that were relevant.

Kharge also took to his X account to write, "He will show some sympathy towards youth regarding the paper leak in NEET and other entrance exams, but he will not take any responsibility for the rigging and corruption of his government."

"Modi ji also remained silent about the recent train accident in West Bengal. Manipur has been in the grip of violence for the last 13 months, but Modiji neither went there nor did he express any concern about the recent violence in his speech today," his post further read.

In the post, he also made a mention of the situation of floods in Assam.

"There are floods in Assam and the North-East, backbreaking inflation, falling rupee, Exit Poll-Stock Market scam; The Modi government has kept the next census pending for a long time; Modi ji was completely silent on the caste census as well," Kharge highlighted.

Further lashing out at the Indian prime minister, Kharge said that PM Modi was reminding people of the 50-year-old Emergency but forgot the "last 10 years of Undeclared Emergency" which he said was ended by the people of the country.

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"You are reminding us of the 50-year-old Emergency, but have forgotten the last 10 years of Undeclared Emergency, which was ended by the people," the Congress president said.

"People have given their mandate against Modi ji. Despite this, if he has become the Prime Minister, then he should work," he added.

"The opposition and INDIA Janbandhan want Consensus in Parliament, we will keep raising the voice of the people in the House, on the streets and before everyone," Kharge further said in his social media post.

The Congress president's remarks came after PM Modi took an indirect jibe at the grand old party stating, "Tomorrow is 25th June. 25th June marks 50 years of the blot that was put on the democracy of India. The new generation of India will never forget that the Constitution of India was completely rejected, every part of the Constitution was torn to pieces, the country was turned into a prison, democracy was completely suppressed."

"While protecting our Constitution, while protecting the democracy of India, the democratic traditions, the countrymen will take a resolution that no one will dare to do such a thing in India again which was done 50 years ago. We will take a resolution of a vibrant democracy. We will take a resolution to fulfil the dreams of the common people as per the directions of the Constitution of India," PM Modiadded.

(With inputs from agencies)