Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday accused the Congress of undermining protests that sought to hold the government accountable and push for reforms. At the NDTV World Summit, he said such movements were necessary in a democracy but alleged that the Opposition party was destroying them.
His remarks come amid a series of protests in Delhi over alleged irregularities in electoral rolls, demands for chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation and restrictions on the right to demonstrate.
“Movements that naturally seek to highlight the government’s shortcomings and bring about reforms in the system are also necessary in a democracy. But the Congress destroys these movements as well. It has become a parasite that does not want anyone else to move forward,” Modi said.
He also accused the Congress of sidelining young opposition leaders and keeping only one person in the limelight.
“The Congress does not allow others to get an opportunity. It wants to keep only one person in the limelight and does not listen to the voices of young leaders in the opposition,” he said.
Modi's ‘angoor khatte hai’ jibe at Congress
Modi also mocked the Congress’s attempts to promote its leadership, comparing them with rocket launches from Sriharikota.
“I don’t know how long Congress will continue putting the country’s interests at stake to launch its failed product. In a year, there are not as many launches from Sriharikota as the number of failed attempts Congress makes to launch its leader,” he said.
He also accused the party of putting India’s reputation at stake to protect its leadership. “Congress can continue on its path of decline; we have no problem with that. But to protect its family from repeated failures, it is putting the country’s reputation on trial. The grapes are so sour that Congress is trying to cut down the very vine that bears them,” Modi said.
Rahul Gandhi leads protests against CEC, SIR
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has led protests against Gyanesh Kumar and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The Congress and other opposition parties have alleged irregularities in the electoral process and demanded accountability from the Election Commission.
On October 6, Gandhi joined INDIA bloc leaders, including Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Trinamool Congress leader Derek O’Brien and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, in a march towards the Election Commission’s office. They demanded Kumar’s resignation and opposed the SIR exercise. Police stopped the march and detained several opposition leaders after a confrontation at the barricades.
During the protest, Gandhi climbed a police barricade and held a placard that read, “Gyanesh, it’s done bro!” He later posted the same message on X, adding, “It’s time to resign.”
On October 12, Gandhi led another INDIA bloc demonstration, called the “March for Democracy”, towards the Supreme Court. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Samajwadi party chief Akhilesh Yadav and other opposition leaders also joined the march.
The protests form part of the opposition’s “vote chori” campaign, which alleges irregularities in the electoral process. The Election Commission has said the SIR exercise aimed to update voter lists, remove duplicate and ineligible entries, and ensure that eligible voters remain on the rolls.
Student groups, including AISA, and youth organisations have protested in Delhi over the SIR exercise, alleging that 13 crore eligible voters’ names could be deleted and demanding Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation.
On October 10, police barricaded Jantar Mantar, forcing CJP and student protesters to gather at other locations, including Connaught Place and Raj Ghat. Police dragged and detained protesters and journalists.
Demonstrators also opposed the removal of Jantar Mantar as a designated protest site and the shift to alternative venues that require booking fees. SFI, DYFI and IYC also held protests, demanding accountability from the Election Commission and space for peaceful demonstrations.