'Modi Talks About Mujra & Mangalsutra, But Not Make In India': Kharge Slams PM Over 'Centre's Abject Failure'

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge slammed PM Modi over the Centre's "abject failure" and PM's silence on economy and 'Make in India' during election rallies.

Ahead of the seventh and final phase of the Lok Sabha elections slated to be held on June 1, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge came down heavily at the Prime Minister Narendra Modi led-government, slamming the Centre over its "abject failure" and PM's silence on economy and 'Make in India' during election rallies.

"Modiji speaks about Mangalsutra, Mutton, Machhali, Mughal and Mujra, but does not talk about 'Make in India'? Why Modi ji does not utter a SINGLE word on the Economy in his numerous election speeches?," Kharge questioned, adding "The answer lies in his Govt's abject failure!"

In a post on X, Kharge shared a newspaper report clipping, which stated how India has recorded a trade deficit with 9 out of 10 trading partners including China, Russia, UAE, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Singapore, Hong Kong, and South Korea. The only country with which India does not have a trade deficit was the United States, the report by The Hindu stated.

Slamming PM Modi for the "widening trade deficit" and "diminishing clout" Kharge wrote: "India, under Modi ji has recorded a Trade Deficit with 9 of its top 10 trading partners, including China, Russia, Singapore, and Korea, in 2023-24."

He added how the nation's trade deficit under PM Modi increased by a record high of 194.19 percent. "Cong-UPA [2013-14] - ₹8.1 lakh crore and Modi-NDA [2023-24] - ₹23.83 lakh crore," Kharge mentioned, comparing the trade deficit during the tenure of both the parties.

Talking about Make in India and how it "flopped", Kharge said the "PLI (Production Linked Incentive) scheme also floundered and the exports are in a free fall."

The Congress president further drew comparison between the figures depicting manufacturing growth and India's export growth during UPA's rule and at the time of NDA's rule.

"Manufacturing Growth (at constant 2015 USD): Cong-UPA [2004-14] - 7.85%, and Modi-NDA [2014-22] - 6.0%," Kharge wrote.

Referring to India's Export Growth from 2004 till 2024, Kharge wrote that the UPA-led government secured a 186.59 percent and 94.39 percent during 2004-10 and 2009-14, in comparison to 21.14 percent and 56.86 percent during 2014-20 and 2019-24, during NDA-led government's tenure.

PM Modi Gave Clean Chit To China: Kharge

"Despite the 56-inch chest thumping, app-bans and fake nationalism, Modi ji made sure that China becomes India's largest trade partner," the Congress president said, adding that PM's "clean chit" to China came after the "supreme sacrifice of our brave soldiers in Galwan."

Kharge also went on to accuse the PM for an "add-on gift" for China, saying "the import value of Chinese goods to India rose from $3.32 billion in June 2020 to $5.58 billion in July 2020 i.e. a whopping 68% increase."

"The difference between India's import of Chinese goods is ₹7 Lakh Crore higher than India's exports, in just last year," he added. 

Towards the end of the post, Kharge took a jibe at PM Modi over his "sent by God" remark, saying "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!"