Modi govt weakened constitutional bodies: Kharge in LS

The Congress on Thursday slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA government for weakening constitutional institutions.

Mallikarjun Kharge, leader of the Congress in Lok Sabha, quoting “Kalabeda, Kolabeda” (don't steal, don't kill) 'vachana' of 12th century social reformer Basaveshwara, urged the BJP-led government to stop “stealing” from the India-France Rafale fighter jet deal and rein in cow vigilantes against lynching people.

Kharge attacked Modi while participating in a debate on the Motion of Thanks to President Ram Nath Kovind's address on January 31 to the joint session of Parliament.

The Congress MP from Gulbarga in Karnataka accused the Prime Minister of being arrogant. He also alleged that Modi does not consult even his own colleagues in the Union Cabinet on key decisions. He countered Modi's allegation that the previous Congress governments had failed and listed the achievements prior to the current BJP-led government coming to power in 2014. “Give us some credit. But if your body is full of hatred, then you cannot see it,” he said in the presence of Modi.

Highlighting the role of the successive Congress governments in building the nation after Independence, he said that his party not only “saved” the nation, but also fed it and nourished it with milk and education.

Waive farm loans

Kharge alleged that the Modi government was using the probe agencies to target political rivals. He also accused the BJP-led government of fudging data to cover up its failures.

“It is one thing to make a speech and thump the desk to laud it, and quite another to save the country and democracy,” said the senior Congress leader.

He questioned why the government was not waiving loans of poor farmers just as it had waived loans worth Rs 1.10 lakh crore of big corporate groups.