Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday criticised the BJP-led central government over President Droupadi Murmu’s address to the joint sitting of Parliament at the start of the Budget Session, alleging that the speech reflected a repeated narrative cleared annually by the Union Cabinet without accountability.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Kharge described the President’s address as a “recycled ritual,” claiming it reused familiar assertions without delivering concrete outcomes. Taking aim at the government’s flagship slogan, he said the idea of “Viksit Bharat” lacked clear goals, timelines, and measurable benchmarks.
“The slogan of Viksit Bharat is repeated loudly, yet it carries no clear goals, no timelines and no measurable outcomes,” Kharge said, raising concerns over the implementation of rural employment schemes.
MGNREGA Under Fire
Kharge also accused the Centre of weakening the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), alleging that the programme—designed to ensure the right to work—had been systematically undermined.
“While making lofty speeches on development, the anti-poor, pro-crony Modi government has mercilessly dismantled MGNREGA, snatching away the only source of livelihood for crores of workers,” he wrote.
President’s Address to Parliament
Earlier in the day, President Murmu addressed members of both Houses of Parliament, urging unity across party lines on national priorities such as Viksit Bharat, promotion of swadeshi goods, and national security. She emphasised that these objectives were “beyond all differences.”
The President also said the government would continue to accelerate reforms and highlighted economic and social initiatives aimed at transforming India into a developed nation by 2047.
Congress Response and Protests
Reacting to the address, Congress general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal dismissed the speech as repetitive and lacking substance. “Nothing was there—just a repetition of things they have already said earlier,” he remarked.
Calling the address “totally hollow,” Venugopal said it reflected promises that had been reiterated without meaningful outcomes. He also referred to ongoing opposition protests against the VB-G RAM G Act, reiterating Congress’s demand for its withdrawal.
President Murmu’s reference to the Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Act triggered protests from opposition parties, with members raising slogans and demanding a rollback of the legislation.
In her address, the President said the law would guarantee 125 days of employment, curb corruption and leakages, and provide renewed momentum to rural development initiatives.
