The Aryavarth Express
Agency (New Delhi): Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge criticized the Modi government on Monday, targeting the state of the economy, exports, and the rising trade deficit. He also condemned the ‘Make in India’ program, accusing the Prime Minister of promoting “fake” nationalism while making China India’s biggest trade partner.
Kharge commented, “Narendra Modi ji speaks about Mangalsutra, Mutton, Machhali, Mughal, and Mujra, but does not talk about ‘Make in India’? Why does Modi ji avoid discussing the economy in his numerous election speeches? The answer lies in his government’s complete failure.”
He claimed that the ‘Make in India’ program has failed, the PLI Scheme has floundered, and exports are plummeting. Comparing the Congress-led UPA and the BJP-led NDA governments, he stated that the manufacturing growth rate during the Congress-UPA rule (2004-14) was 7.85 percent, while under Modi’s NDA rule (2014-22) it was only 6.0 percent.
Regarding export growth, Kharge noted that during the Congress-UPA rule from 2004-10, it was 186.59 percent, and from 2009-14 it was 94.39 percent. In contrast, under Modi’s NDA rule, from 2014-20, it was 21.14 percent, and from 2019-24 it was 56.86 percent.
Kharge further criticized Modi’s approach to China, pointing out that despite nationalist rhetoric, China has become India’s largest trade partner. He highlighted that following the Galwan clash, where Indian soldiers sacrificed their lives, the import value of Chinese goods increased from USD 3.32 billion in June 2020 to USD 5.58 billion in July 2020, marking a 68 percent rise.
Kharge emphasized that India’s import of Chinese goods surpassed its exports by Rs 7 lakh crore last year. He also noted that under Modi’s leadership, India recorded a trade deficit with nine of its top ten trading partners, including China, Russia, Singapore, and Korea in 2023-24. The trade deficit under Modi increased by a record 194.19 percent, from Rs 8.1 lakh crore during the Congress-UPA rule (2013-14) to Rs 23.83 lakh crore during the Modi-NDA rule (2023-24).
He concluded with a call to action: “Modi ji says he may not have been born ‘biological’, but the ‘logical’ thing to do is to ‘vote BJP out’ and ‘vote for INDIA’,” urging voters ahead of the final phase of polling on June 1.
In a separate statement, veteran Congress leader P. Chidambaram criticized the state of the Indian Railways, pointing out that after a decade of Modi’s government, the Railways are carrying fewer passengers, losing money, and have become costlier, especially for poorer passengers, who are packed into fewer seats on trains running at largely the same speed as during the previous government.