Opposition rakes up governance, democratic values to focus on PM Modi’s I-Day speech


On the 79th Independence Day, PM Modi highlighted nationwide achievements, whereas opposition leaders Akhilesh Yadav and Mallikarjun Kharge criticized his authorities over democracy, governance, and electoral integrity considerations.

New Delhi:

On the 79th Independence Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered his deal with from the Pink Fort, emphasising India’s achievements in nationwide safety, growth, and self-reliance. Whereas Modi highlighted bold authorities initiatives geared toward strengthening the nation’s future, opposition leaders from the Samajwadi Social gathering (SP) and Congress responded with robust criticisms, elevating considerations over democracy, governance, and electoral integrity. 

SP Chief Akhilesh Yadav reacted sharply to Modi’s speech, accusing the Bharatiya Janata Social gathering (BJP) of straying from the secular and socialist path it as soon as promised throughout its early days. He said, “The RSS household’s path is neither secular nor socialist. They converse of swadeshi (self-reliance) with their mouths however suppose overseas of their hearts.” 

The Congress occasion marked the event by celebrating the inauguration of their new everlasting headquarters and reaffirming their historic position in India’s independence wrestle and nation-building. 

Congress occasion chief Mallikarjun Kharge recalled the occasion’s vital contributions post-independence, together with drafting the Structure and establishing the foundations of a robust, democratic India primarily based on equal rights for all residents underneath the precept of ‘One Particular person-One Vote-One Worth.’ Whereas expressing delight in India’s progress in industries, infrastructure, training, and house expertise over the a long time, Kharge voiced severe considerations about latest challenges.

 He criticised the federal government for rising unemployment, the poor high quality of infrastructure tasks, and the politicization of key constitutional establishments such because the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Revenue Tax Division, and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). These establishments, he argued, have been misused to focus on political opponents—a state of affairs severe sufficient to warrant intervention by the Supreme Courtroom. 

Kharge additionally lamented India’s diminishing stature as a revered voice amongst growing nations, attributing it to shifts in overseas coverage and the erosion of the nation’s conventional non-aligned stance. A significant level of competition was electoral integrity. Kharge pointed to widespread irregularities in voter lists, together with the exclusion and misclassification of tens of millions of voters, manipulations underneath the guise of the Particular Intensive Revision (SIR) train, and a scarcity of transparency from the Election Fee. 

He thanked the Supreme Courtroom for ordering the publication of voter lists and accused the ruling occasion of benefiting from these irregularities to safe key election victories. Elevating the alarm over the way forward for Indian democracy, Kharge urged Congress employees and residents nationwide to scrutinise native voter lists and report discrepancies by way of a devoted party-launched web site. 

Emphasising that the present wrestle transcends electoral victories, he known as it a struggle to guard the Structure and democratic beliefs championed by freedom fighters like Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. On this vein, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi introduced the launch of a “Vote Rights Yatra” from Sasaram, Bihar, beginning August 17, encouraging folks to affix the motion to safeguard electoral rights. 

This Independence Day highlighted a stark political divide: Prime Minister Modi’s give attention to nationwide safety, technological progress, and financial initiatives stood in distinction to opposition leaders’ warnings about democratic erosion, governance challenges, and threats to electoral equity. The discourse units the stage for intensified political battles as India approaches its centenary of independence in 2047