The BJP-RSS combine has weakened every constitutional institution and systematically stripped them of their autonomy, claims the Congress chief
NEW DELHI — Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge launched a blistering critique of the Modi government on Monday, accusing it of eroding India’s democratic foundations, crippling the economy, and fracturing the country’s social fabric during its 11-year tenure.
In a sharply worded post on social media platform X, Kharge alleged that the BJP-led government has “smeared the ink of dictatorship” across the pages of the Constitution. “The BJP-RSS combine has weakened every constitutional institution and systematically stripped them of their autonomy,” he wrote.
He further accused the government of overriding public will by toppling elected state governments and pushing the country toward “one-party authoritarianism.” “The rights of states have been disregarded, and the federal structure has been systematically undermined,” Kharge said.
The Congress leader also pointed to rising social unrest and marginalisation of vulnerable communities. “An atmosphere of hatred, threats, and fear is being deliberately cultivated. Dalits, Adivasis, OBCs, minorities, and the poor continue to face increased exploitation,” he said. The ongoing ethnic violence in Manipur, he added, is the “biggest proof of the BJP’s administrative failure.”
On the economic front, Kharge claimed that the BJP has presided over stagnant growth and widening inequality. “GDP growth has been stuck at 5–6%, far below the 8% average during the UPA (United Progressive Alliance) era. Public savings are at a 50-year low, while inequality is at a 100-year high,” he wrote.
Kharge blamed the government’s key policy decisions — including demonetisation, a flawed GST rollout, an unplanned COVID-19 lockdown, and neglect of the informal sector — for widespread economic distress. Promises of job creation, he said, have turned into large-scale unemployment. “Instead of creating 2 crore jobs annually, crores of livelihoods have been destroyed,” he said.
He also dismissed flagship initiatives like Make in India, Digital India, Startup India, and the 100 Smart Cities Mission as hollow failures. “Even the railways have been damaged. The Modi government has done little more than inaugurate projects built during the UPA era,” Kharge alleged.
“The last 11 years have been a dark chapter in Indian governance, marked by the rise of dictatorship and decline of democracy,” he concluded.
The BJP, however, has rejected Kharge’s criticism. On the same day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi defended his government’s record, highlighting India’s emergence as the world’s fastest-growing major economy and a global voice on critical issues like climate change and digital innovation.
As the new political landscape takes shape post the 2024 elections, Kharge’s remarks signal the Congress’s intent to intensify its challenge to the BJP, especially on issues of governance, economy, and civil liberties.
