“To say in 2023, ‘I will hoist the flag once again in 2024’ is arrogance”, says Congress President Mallick Arjun Kharge taking a dig at PM Modi's I-Day speech

“The next time, on 15th August, from this Red Fort I will present before you the achievements and developments of the country”, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort on the occasion of the 77th year of Independence. Ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the PM’s affirmation is indicative of his confidence in returning back to power and in turn back to the Red Fort in 2024.

Congress President Mallick Arjun Kharge hit back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP government on Tuesday over the PM’s Independence Day speech. The senior Congress leader said that Opposition’s voice is being muzzled, parliament members are being suspended and stated that his own mike was muted in the Rajya Sabha. He sent out a strong message criticizing the ‘arrogance’ of the Prime Minister during the Independence Day celebrations at the Congress headquarters in Delhi.

“To say in 2023, ‘I will hoist the flag once again in 2024’ is arrogance”, said Mallick Arjun Kharge. The speech that was delivered by the PM has been termed as ‘arrogance’ by the leaders of the Opposition. They claim that the reality in fact is quite the contrary from the claims that were made from the ramparts of the Red Fort. “On one side, we boast of democracy, and on the other, our mouths are sealed shut”, he added.

Drawing references to the recently conducted Monsoon session of the Parliament, he said, “I am in pain while saying this that today democracy, the Constitution, and traditions are all being threatened. In Parliament, by suspending opposition MPs, the opposition’s voice is being suppressed. My mike was switched off.” Kharge alleges that it is the BJP Government’s deliberate attempt to silence the voices of the Opposition.

“Every person says that they come back again and again after winning. But making you win or lose is in the hands of people, in the hands of voters. To say in 2023, ‘I will hoist the flag once again in 2024’ is arrogance. If he keeps making comments on Opposition even on Independence Day, how will he build the nation?”, says Kharge, in connection with PM Modi’s statement on returning to the Red Fort for Independence Day in 2024.

The Prime Minister in his speech, touched upon multiple issues during his Independence Day speech, including Manipur, and condemned the atrocities being meted out to the women of the state. He launched a scathing attack on Congress without naming them and said, “Democracy is affected by ills of nepotism; dynastic parties work with the mantra of party of family, by family and for family”.