india

Updated: Sep 09, 2019 00:47 IST

The Congress on Sunday hit out at the Narendra Modi government as it completed 100 days in office, saying “arrogance, uncertainty, and vendetta politics” characterised the period. It attacked the government over its handling of the Kashmir issue, economic slowdown, National Register of Citizens in Assam and action against opposition leaders

“Common man’s problems are increasing, lapdog media is becoming even more biased, atrocities against women increasing, there is no strategy on education and health, the small trader is in distress, and there is vendetta politics against political opponents,” said Congress leader Kapil Sibal. He added the Modi government got a big mandate in April-May national election to provide relief to the common citizen, but the opposite has happened.

Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi blamed the government for “subversion of democracy”. “Congratulations to the Modi Govt on #100DaysNoVikas, the continued subversion of democracy, a firmer stranglehold on a submissive media to drown out criticism and a glaring lack of leadership, direction & plans where it’s needed the most - to turnaround our ravaged economy,” he tweeted.

Using the hashtag ‘100DaysNoVikas’ (100 days, no development), his sister and Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said on Twitter, “Through drama, deceit, lies, and propaganda, they are trying to hide the country’s grim situation,”

In a series of tweets through its official handle, the Congress questioned the government’s performance. “Three words that describe the first 100 days of BJP 2.0 - tyranny, chaos, and anarchy,” said one of the tweets.

The Congress said eight sectors have recorded a growth rate below 2% and added the government still refuses to accept the economy is in free fall. “If the BJP continues this path of negligence & deceit, we are headed towards recession.”

It said the steep fall in GDP from last year is a direct result of the government’s ignorance and gross mismanagement of the economy. “By disregarding voices of the industry, economists & former PM Manmohan Singh, BJP has proved itself to be completely incompetent in handling the economy,” the Congress said.

“The automobile sector is facing its worst-ever crisis in years and all the govt has to say our economy is doing better than the US & China. The solution to problems comes with acknowledging them first, which this govt has failed to do.”

At a press conference, Sibal alleged the Enforcement Directorate, Income Tax Department and the Central Bureau of Investigation were being misused. “Where there is evidence against their own people, they are being sheltered, and action is being taken against opposition leaders against whom there is no evidence,” he said.

The Congress called arrests of opposition leaders a ploy to divert attention from the government’s failure on the economic front. “..When all else fails, arrest high profile Opposition leaders & hope the public doesn’t notice you have failed in every field,” the Congress tweeted.

“The BJP treats the parliament like a notice board; bills are not debated or discussed but presented just to complete a formality. This is a sign of a weakening democracy.”