Lok Sabha Elections 2024: PM talks of 'mangalsutra', mutton, 'mujra', but not about 'Make in India' which has flopped, says Kharge

New Delhi: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday hit out at the Modi government on the state of the economy, exports and the rising trade deficit besides the 'Make in India' programme and accused him of practising "fake" nationalism by making China its biggest trade partner.

"Narendra Modi ji speaks about Mangalsutra, Mutton, Machhali, Mughal and Mujra, but does not talk about 'Make in India'? Why Modi ji does not utter a single word on the economy in his numerous election speeches? The answer lies in his Government's abject failure," Kharge said in a post on X.

"The 'Make in India' programme has flopped, the PLI Scheme floundered and exports are in a free fall," he alleged.

Drawing a parallel between the Congress-led UPA and 10 years of the BJP-led NDA government, he said the manufacturing growth (at constant 2015 USD) during the Congress-UPA rule from 2004 to 2014 was 7.85 per cent while that during the Modi's NDA rule from 2014 to 2022 was 6.0 per cent.

The Congress president said India's export growth during the Congress-UPA rule from 2004 to 2010 was 186.59 per cent and from 2009 2014 was 94.39 per cent, while that during the Modi-NDA rule from 2014 2020 was 21.14 per cent, and during 2019 2024 was 56.86 per cent.

"Despite the 56-inch chest thumping, App-bans and fake nationalism, Modi ji made sure that China becomes India's largest trade partner.

"Modi ji's clean chit to China, post the supreme sacrifice of our brave soldiers in Galwan, came with an add-on gift. Add-on gift - The import value of Chinese goods to India rose from $3.32 billion in June 2020 to $5.58 billion in July 2020 i.e. a whopping 68 per cent increase," Kharge claimed.

The difference between India's import of Chinese goods is Rs 7 lakh crore higher than India's exports in just last year, he said.

On the widening trade deficit and diminishing India's clout, the Congress chief said, "India, under Modi ji has recorded a trade deficit with 9 of its top 10 trading partners, including China, Russia, Singapore, and Korea, in 2023-24."

India's trade deficit under Modi increased by a record 194.19 per cent, he said, adding that during the Congress-UPA rule from 2013-14, it was Rs 8.1 lakh crore while during the Modi-NDA rule from 2023-24, it was Rs 23.83 lakh crore.

"Modi ji says he may not have been born 'biological', but the 'logical' thing to do is to 'vote BJP out' and 'vote for I.N.D.I.A.'," Kharge said ahead of the last phase of polling on June 1.

Meanwhile, in another post, Congress leader P Chidambaram targeted the government on the state of the Indian Railways where the poor passengers have to face the brunt.

"After a decade of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government, India's prime people-mover, the Railways — a key focus area for his administration — carry fewer passengers, are losing money but are costlier, especially for poorer passengers, who are packed into proportionately fewer seats in trains run at largely the same speed as during the previous government," Chidambaram said.

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