Despotic govt hell-bent on targeting Congress to whitewash its own sins: Mallikarjun Kharge

New Delhi: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday claimed Narendra Modi's "despotic Sarkar is hell-bent in targeting" his party "to white wash its own sins", as he appeared to suggest that the latest ED action against Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi was an attempt to divert attention from the ruling BJP "ruining the Indian economy".

Kharge did not mention the party's protest against the Modi government over the ED charge-sheeting Sonia and Rahul in the National Herald case in his 'X' post, but said, "Your despotic Sarkar is hell-bent in targeting the Congress, to whitewash its own sins. BJP's Economic Mismanagement is spiralling out of control. Desperation is gathering steam. No vision, No solution, only diversion."

"People will not forgive the BJP for ruining the Indian economy. We shall not be cowed down. We will keep raising our voices and keep exposing your failures," he said.

He said the trade deficit has been a three year high and there is no clarity on tariffs and trade war. There are "only empty words and fruitless visits", he said.

Kharge also claimed that 90 per cent of consumers have reported that commodity prices had gone up. "As a result, over 80% said their spending increased, even though incomes didn't rise," he said citing the RBI Consumer Confidence Survey of March this year.

Revenue growth of FMCG firms slowed to just 5 per cent in FY25, with margin growth staying flat, he said.

He also alleged that a "fuel loot" is taking place with the Modi government collecting a whopping Rs 39 lakh crore as taxes or duties on petrol, diesel and fuel till December 2024. LPG prices have been raised by Rs 50 and there is no respite even for the economically weaker sections, he said.

Kharge also referred to unemployment, saying joblessness among graduates is 13 per cent, while the youth unemployment rate is 10.2 per cent. "Twenty-two out of the 23 IITs and 23 of the 25 IIITs witnessed a drop in the placement, and NITs witnessed 11% drop in placements," he said.

"(The) FDI plunge (is) hurting India: The net FDI in India from April to January 2024–25 was just under USD 1.4 billion, as against USD 19 billion from April to January 2012–13," he added.