Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s upcoming overseas visit, the Congress party launched a sharp attack, accusing him of avoiding pressing national concerns.
Congress General Secretary in-charge of Communications, Jairam Ramesh, slammed the prime minister’s five-nation, eight-day tour, labeling it a “jaunt” and dubbing Modi the “Super Premium Frequent Flier PM.”
Ramesh, in a post on X, said, “When the going gets tough, the self-styled toughs get going,” suggesting that Modi is fleeing from critical domestic issues that require his immediate attention.
Ramesh accused Modi of neglecting the prolonged unrest in Manipur, a state he has allegedly not visited since the outbreak of violence.
“The double engine government has derailed in the state, and normal life has collapsed,” Ramesh said.
The Congress leader referenced statements reportedly made by India’s defence attache to Indonesia, suggesting that the country suffered military setbacks during the initial stages of Operation Sindoor due to the prime minister’s decisions.
However, the Indian embassy in Indonesia clarified that these remarks were misrepresented and taken out of context.
Ramesh cited repeated claims by US President Donald Trump, who alleged that he brokered a ceasefire between India and Pakistan by leveraging trade negotiations. According to Ramesh, the government has failed to adequately address or refute these assertions.
The Congress also took aim at the government’s inability to bring the perpetrators of the Pahalgam terror attack to justice, even after 70 days. Ramesh pointed out that the same group may have been linked to previous attacks in Poonch (December 2023), Gagangir, and Gulmarg (October 2024).
Besides Brazil, Modi will visit Ghana, Trinidad and Tobago, Argentina, Brazil, and Namibia during the eight-day trip, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
In the first leg of the visit, Modi will undertake a visit to Ghana from July 2 to 3.
From Ghana, Modi will travel to Trinidad and Tobago on a two-day visit from July 3 to 4.
In the third leg of his visit, Modi will visit Argentina from July 4 to 5.
In the fourth leg of his visit, Modi will travel to Brazil at the invitation of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
The prime minister will visit Brazil from July 5 to 8 to attend the 17th BRICS Summit followed by a state visit.
In the final leg of his visit, Modi will travel to Namibia.
(With inputs from PTI)