NEW DELHI: Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge’s recent advice to party state units to make promises that are “financially viable” drew a sharp reaction from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who said Congress leaders were learning a difficult lesson while making unrealistic promises.
The Prime Minister stated on Friday that making unrealistic promises was easy, but fulfilling them was challenging. He cautioned citizens to remain alert against the “Congress culture of fake promises.”
The PM’s response came in a series of posts following Kharge’s statement urging his party’s state units to be cautious about making promises. “The Congress is realizing the hard way that making unreal promises is easy, but implementing them is tough or impossible,” said the PM.
He noted that Congress repeatedly made promises they knew they wouldn’t deliver. “Now they stand badly exposed,” he said, using the hashtag #FakePromisesOfCongress to underscore his message.
The PM further advised people to be cautious of Congress’ empty promises. “The people of the country will have to be vigilant … We recently saw how the people of Haryana rejected their lies and preferred a government that is stable, progress-oriented, and action-driven,” he said.
“There is a growing realization that a vote for Congress is a vote for non-governance, poor economics, and unparalleled loot,” said the PM. Using Karnataka as an example, he criticized Congress for focusing on intra-party politics and corruption instead of delivering on development. “In Karnataka, instead of bothering to deliver on development, the Congress is going to roll back the existing schemes,” Modi said. He also highlighted the Congress-ruled Himachal Pradesh, stating, “Salaries of Himachal Pradesh government workers are not paid on time. In Telangana, farmers are waiting for the waiver they were promised.”
Pointing out the failures of previous Congress governments in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, Modi noted that they promised certain allowances that were never implemented. “There are numerous such examples of how Congress works,” Modi said.
BJP leader and former law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad also highlighted the financial difficulties faced by Congress-led states like Karnataka, Telangana, and Himachal Pradesh in delivering on their promises. He recalled that Congress ministers in Himachal were told to forgo their salaries and introduce the controversial “toilet tax,” which was later withdrawn. In Karnataka, he mentioned a review of the promise for free bus rides for women.
Prasad criticized Congress’ history of misleading voters with unrealistic promises, referencing Indira Gandhi’s ‘garibi hatao’ slogan in the 1971 elections.
Fiscal Prudence
BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad asserted that the BJP made promises grounded in fiscal prudence, citing the government’s successful implementation of a scheme providing ₹6,000 annually to 11 crore farmers and others.
