The Congress has termed as “most troubling” Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s praise for the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh in his Independence Day speech, saying it is a “breach” of the spirit of constitutional and secular republic and a desperate attempt to appease the Sangh in the run-up to his 75th birthday.
According to PTI, “The PM was tired today. Soon he will be retired,” Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said and slammed the prime minister’s speech from the ramparts of the Red Fort as “stale, hypocritical, insipid”, claiming he recycled his oft-repeated slogans of ‘Viksit Bharat’ and ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ with “little” to show as measurable outcomes.
“The most troubling element of the PM’s speech today was his name-checking of the RSS from the ramparts of the Red Fort – a blatant breach of the spirit of a constitutional, secular republic.
“It is nothing but a desperate attempt to appease the organisation in the run-up to his 75th birthday next month,” AICC general secretary, communications, Ramesh said in a post on X.
The Congress leader’s reference was to RSS chief Bhagwat’s remarks that leaders should give a chance to younger leaders on attaining the age of 75 years, which many in the opposition feel are aimed at Prime Minister Modi.
“Decisively weakened after the events of June 4th, 2024, he is now at their complete mercy and reliant on Mohan Bhagwat’s good offices for the extension of his tenure post-September. This politicisation of Independence Day for personal and organisational gain is deeply corrosive to our democratic ethos,” Ramesh said.
The PM’s speech from the ramparts of the Red Fort today was ” stale, hypocritical, insipid, and troubling”, the Congress general secretary said.
