New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday launched a sharp attack on the Indian National Congress while addressing a public event to flag off the Namo Bharat Rapid Rail Transit System, accusing the party’s leaders of shameless conduct, repeated disruption of Parliament and deliberately damaging India’s image.
Referring to the recent shirtless protest by a Youth Congress worker at an international AI summit in Delhi, Modi said it was unfortunate that leaders of such an old party showed no sense of restraint. “Look at the misfortune. Leaders of such an old party, instead of feeling ashamed, are boasting shamelessly and applauding those who insult the country,” he said, adding that this was not an isolated episode but part of a continuing Congress pattern.
The Prime Minister alleged that the Congress had failed in its parliamentary role. “What have they done in Parliament. They cannot perform themselves, and they do not allow their own allies to speak. They do not let Parliament function,” he said. According to Modi, the biggest political damage from this behaviour was being suffered by Congress’s partner parties. “The biggest loss is to Congress’s allies, and they have understood this,” he said.
Modi said the Delhi incident had become a moment of realisation for opposition partners. “After the nudity they displayed in Delhi, all their allies were shocked and moved away,” he said.
He also appealed to the media not to dilute responsibility by framing criticism of Congress as a generic opposition issue. “When we criticise such acts, please do not make headlines saying Modi attacked the opposition,” he said. Accusing sections of the media of shielding Congress, he added, “Stop these clever tricks to protect Congress. By repeatedly using the word opposition, you are saving Congress.”
Modi argued that this approach distorted accountability. “The sin is committed by Congress, but the punishment is suffered by others,” he said, alleging that a Congress ecosystem ensured that “Congress commits the wrongdoing, criticism is of Congress, but the word Congress disappears and only opposition is mentioned.”
Pointing again to the Delhi protest, Modi said no other opposition party was responsible. “Did anyone from TMC commit this sin. No. Did DMK do it. No. Did BSP do it. No. Did Farooq Abdullah’s party do it. No,” he said. “Only reckless and unrestrained Congress leaders are bent on destroying the country.”
Questioning the Congress leadership’s prime ministerial ambitions, Modi said political power could not be achieved through disruption. “If you want to sit on the Prime Minister’s chair, you must first win the hearts of the people,” he said. “You cannot become Prime Minister by sending women MPs to occupy seats.”
He also criticised the use of women in confrontational protests. “What kind of compulsion is this, pushing mothers and sisters to the front. Have you become so hollow,” he said.
Concluding his remarks, Modi said, “Friends, Congress has become a burden on the country,” but expressed satisfaction that opposition allies had openly criticised the party after the Delhi incident. He publicly thanked those parties for, in his words, standing with truth and national dignity rather than shielding Congress.
