New Delhi, Feb 19 (UNI) Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for "failing" to defend India’s trade and business interests during his recent visit to the United States.
In his opening remarks at A meeting of AICC general secretaries and in-charges here, Kharge said, “He (the PM) had failed to protect India’s trade and business interests. The PM did not protest the imposition of tariffs by the US on Indian goods”.
“They are forcing a loss-making deal on us, which our government is silently accepting. This is clearly an insult to India and its people”, he said, while adding, “America is hurting us deeply even in economic matters”.
Kharge said despite Modi’s visit, America was sending back Indian citizens handcuffed as before.
Alleging that vegetarian passengers were given non-veg food, Kharge said, “Our government also failed to protest this insult properly”.
Referring to his party, Kharge said those in-charge of different states will be accountable for the organisation and the electoral performances in their respective states.
“I would like to tell you one very important thing about accountability. All of you will be accountable for the organisation and the future election results of the states under your charge”, he told the general secretaries and in-charges.
Referring to the new challenge of alleged “voter list manipulation”, he claimed that it was happening on a large scale in elections, and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi had also raised the issue in the Lok Sabha.
Asserting that this “rigging” has to be stopped at all cost, he pointed out how the names of Congress supporters were deleted from the voter list or the names were removed and added in a different polling booth at the last moment.
He accused the BJP of adding fresh names just before the elections.
During the meeting, the Congress president also referred to the manipulation of the selection process of the Chief Election Commissioner by the government by excluding the Chief Justice of India from the selection committee.
He said the Chief Justice of India was also included in the selection committee of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) by the order of the Supreme Court, but Modi removed him.
“The government does not even trust the impartiality of the Chief Justice of the country”, he added, while referring to Rahul Gandhi questioning the purpose of the committee, where the government was trying to use the Leader of the Opposition merely for “certification”.
Talking about the “Save Constitution Campaign”, he said, it will continue for the next one year. As part of the campaign, activities like ‘padyatra’, ‘samvaad’ (debates) and street corner meetings can be conducted.
“But the aim of every such programme should be strengthening of the organisation,” he asserted.
The Congress President in a special mention about the party’s performance in Delhi, said despite lack of resources, candidates, workers and leaders gave their best and created an atmosphere for change.
Emphasising the need to continue the momentum, he said, “Our endeavour for the next five years should be to emerge as the main Opposition by continuously fighting and leading mass movements on public issues. Only this will make us the first choice of the people”. UNI RBE SSP