Prime Minister Narendra Modi took aim at his critics and political rivals during his Independence Day address from the Red Fort in Delhi, accusing them of harboring a “negative mindset” and obstructing India’s growth. Modi emphasized that certain groups were conspiring to create imbalance in the country, pointing to issues like nepotism and casteism as harmful elements in society that need to be eradicated from politics.
In remarks widely seen as a jab at the Congress party and its leadership, the Prime Minister highlighted the need to combat corruption, declaring his intent to instill fear in the minds of the corrupt and end the tradition of looting the common man. Modi’s comments follow his party’s victory in securing a third consecutive term in power, with the Prime Minister pledging to continue his crackdown on corruption, giving federal agencies “full freedom” to act.
The speech comes after a challenging first session of Parliament in Modi’s third term, marked by clashes between the government and opposition on various issues, including the Union Budget, the Waqf Bill, and the disqualification of wrestler Vinesh Phogat from the Paris Olympics. The opposition has also accused the government of favoring states ruled by BJP allies in financial allocations, a claim the government has strongly denied.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in her response to the budget controversy, pointed out that previous Congress-led governments had also overlooked several states in their budget speeches, challenging the opposition’s narrative of unfair treatment under the current administration.
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