In a scathing article published in The Hindu, Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of continuing to value confrontation over consensus. Referring to the Emergency of 1975, she noted that the Indian people decisively rejected it in March 1977, and within three years, the Congress party returned to power with a resounding majority. She remarked that Modi and his party have never achieved such a mandate, highlighting this as part of history.
Sonia Gandhi’s article was published a week after the first session of the 18th Lok Sabha commenced. She criticized the Prime Minister for behaving as if nothing has changed, stating, “He preaches consensus but continues to prioritize confrontation. There are no signs that he has understood the mandate of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections or considered the message from millions of voters.”
Expressing disappointment over the conduct of the parliamentary session, she wrote, “Sadly, the initial days of the 18th Lok Sabha have not been encouraging. There is no sign of fostering a new spirit of mutual respect and consensus in the House.” Despite opposition demands for discussions on issues like the NEET paper leak, she indicated that the INDIA bloc intends to participate in the debate on the President’s address starting Monday. “Parties in the INDIA bloc have made it clear they do not wish to adopt a confrontational approach. Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi has offered cooperation. We expect the government’s response to be positive, ensuring that the voices of millions who elected us are heard. We aim to address public issues and have meaningful discussions,” she added.
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Gandhi also commented on Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla’s stance on the Emergency, stating that the Speaker, like the Prime Minister, condemned it, which she found surprising. “The Speaker is expected to maintain impartiality rather than support the stance of a political party. This seems like an attempt to divert attention from attacks on the Constitution, its principles, and the institutions it empowers. It’s not a good sign for smooth functioning in Parliament,” she wrote.
Criticizing the Prime Minister further, she stated, “During the election campaign, Modi ignored his responsibilities and dignity, spreading communal and false narratives, which harmed social harmony.”
