NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday accused the Congress of undermining India’s global image, disrupting Parliament and preventing other opposition leaders from being heard, as he took aim at the party amid protests over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise and other issues.
Speaking at a media house summit, Modi said, "While the world is in search of a new order, some people are dreaming of disorder in India".
He accused opposition leaders of damaging the country's reputation abroad, saying, "At a time when there is so much chaos globally, the image of a strong India should be projected to the world. Yet, these individuals seem determined to drag India’s reputation through the mud".
In an apparent reference to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, he added, "They travel abroad to defame India and plead with foreigners to intervene".
Modi also mocked the Congress over its repeated attempts to project its leader, asking, "One wonders how long the Congress party will continue to put the nation at stake in its persistent attempts to launch its ‘failed product'." The remark did not explicitly name Gandhi.
Drawing a comparison with satellite launches, Modi said, "In fact, there are fewer launches from our Sriharikota space center in a year than the number of failed attempts the Congress makes to launch its own leader".
He accused the Congress of questioning India's achievements to protect its family from the stigma of repeated failures, while saying he had no objection to the party bringing about its own downfall.
"We have no issue with that. However, in a desperate bid to shield their family from the stigma of constant failure, the Congress is now casting doubt upon India’s achievements, its virtues, and its progress", he said.
"The grapes have turned so sour that the Congress has set about cutting down the very vine that bears them," Modi added.
Describing the Gandhi family as a burden on the Congress, he claimed senior party leaders privately shared that assessment but remained silent.
"In truth, this family has become a burden on the Congress party-a fact that even the party’s senior leaders recognize. When we meet in private, they even acknowledge it, yet they choose to remain silent, swallowing the bitter pill of humiliation," he said.
The Prime Minister argued that the Congress's conduct also harmed opposition leaders who sought to criticise the government through democratic means.
"This kind of attitude of the Congress also harms the government’s honest critics, a significant cost to our democracy. Those who wish to express their opposition to the government through democratic means find their voices drowned out by the clamour created by the Congress; the voices of these sincere critics are stifled," he said.
He added, "Even those who genuinely care for the well-being of our democracy and the nation, and who may be staunch opponents of the government, find no space to voice their views amidst the incessant shouting and uproar of the Congress".
Modi also accused the Congress of disrupting parliamentary proceedings to prevent other opposition MPs from speaking, alleging that the party wanted to keep one person in the limelight.
"We have seen in Parliament that there are many talented young MPs from opposition parties who wish to express their views and critique the government; however, the Congress party prevents Parliament from functioning to ensure that others do not get an opportunity, all because the Congress wants only one person to remain in the limelight. By doing so, the Congress commits a grave injustice against these young opposition MPs," he said.
He further accused the party of undermining movements aimed at exposing the government's shortcomings or improving the system.
"The Congress also undermines movements that genuinely seek to highlight the government’s shortcomings or bring about improvements in the system—efforts that are, in fact, essential for a democracy," he said.
In another attack, Modi described the Congress as a "parjibi" (parasite) and alleged that it had come under the influence of urban Naxals.
"The Congress has become a 'parjibi' that refuses to let anyone else progress. It has fallen so completely under the sway of 'urban Naxals' (ideological Naxals) that it has lost the very capacity to think for itself. Those who once wreaked havoc in our forests have now infiltrated the Congress and are bent on the destruction of the nation", he said.
Turning to the government's development agenda, Modi said the country remained committed to achieving a "Viksit Bharat" (Developed India).
"Amidst all these challenges, we have set before us the grand goal of a 'Viksit Bharat' (Developed India). The aspirations of our nation are boundless. Today, a single spirit resonates across India—the spirit of "We Will Do It, We Will Do It." We shall dream big, transform every challenge into an opportunity, and see every resolve through to its successful fruition".
"Our strength lies in our self-confidence, and our inspiration is drawn from the dreams of our 140 crore citizens. We will foster innovation, forge new paths, scale new heights, and link India’s success to the success of the world," he said.