PM Modi giving same speech for seven years, nothing implemented on ground: Congress

The Opposition on Sunday described Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Independence Day address as full of "rhetoric and empty slogans" and alleged that the "same speech" was delivered for years with several announcements that are not meant for implementation.

Senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said the country has been listening to the "same speeches" by the Prime Minister since he assumed power but no solutions are offered to those impacted, including farmers.

He found fault with the government for not repealing the three contentious farm laws. "Modi announces new schemes but these are never implemented or seen on the ground. He says a lot of things but never adheres to them. And now, by bringing the three new farm laws, he has spelt doom for the farmers," he told reporters.

Emphasising that the country will not progress by criticising the Congress, again and again, he said, "The Congress has done a lot of work for this country during its regime like providing irrigation systems for the farmers. Manmohan Singh-ji and Sonia Gandhi-ji waived farmers' debt when the UPA was in power."

Also read: India takes pride in world's largest Covid-19 vaccination programme: PM Modi

CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury said the Prime Minister's speech was marked by "rhetoric, empty slogans and disinformation".

"No reassurance to crores suffering from Covid-19 mismanagement and vaccine shortages. Growing unemployment, poverty, hunger, backbreaking prices and misery. Ominous warning that our lives will continue to be ruined further," he tweeted.

Senior RJD MP Manoj K Jha said Modi's speech has failed to inspire people especially as it came after the Covid-19 second wave. Families who lost their loved ones and livelihood needed healing touch.

Referring to the addition of 'sabka prayas' (everyone's efforts) to his slogan 'sabka saath, sabka vikas, sabka viswas', Jha said one should see how Modi goes on to the huge pile of rhetoric.

"This sabka prayas (everyone's efforts) sounds so ironic. We have seen people fighting for oxygen themselves. Does he want that kind of situation? Is it that on issues of lives and livelihood, people should do it on their own and the State won't come into the picture?" he said.

"What the Prime Minister has given to them is again a set of empty rhetoric. I think he might have been applauded by a select audience there, but the people on the streets, whose livelihood have been lost, lost someone in the family, it means nothing.

CPI General Secretary D Raja said the Prime Minister's speech was disappointing as he did not offer solutions to any problems facing the country. Instead, he said, the Prime Minister gave empty slogans while ignoring the plight of unemployed youths and farmers in the country.

Referring to the announcement of Rs 100 lakh crore investment in the infrastructure sector, Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala tweeted, "It has been two years since August 15, 2019. At least, the 100 lakh crore figure could have been changed."

Check out latest videos from DH: