As Modi govt completes 9 years, Congress, BJP spar over ‘sawaal, kamaal’

The Bharatiya Janata Party led NDA-government’s claims of having ushered in big ticket changes across sectors in the last nine years of being in power , elicited a sharp reaction from the Congress on Friday, which questioned the claims and sought an apology from the government for what it alleged were its “failures”. The BJP retorted by dubbing the Congress’s charges as a “pack of lies and a mountain of deception.”

While the BJP has embarked on a publicity blitzkrieg to mark nine years in power — the first Narendra Modi government was sworn in on May 26, 2014 — providing details of how it has grown the economy, expanded road, rail and air infrastructure, and provided amenities and housing for the poor, the Congress released a document,: “9 saal, 9 sawaal’ (nine years, nine questions) highlighting what it termed nine “failures” of the union government.

The Congress said it plans to host meetings across India to air these questions — even as the BJP said its top ministers would, over the next few weeks, reiterate the government’s achievements. The BJP responded in detail to the Congress’ questions with a document titled “9 saal, 9 kamaal” (nine years, nine miracles).

The BJP-led NDA has ensured “holistic, inclusive growth” and through its policies presented an example of a “decisive government” said BJP president JP Nadda, adding that the hallmark of its governance model has been a shift from the “policy paralysis” that marked the 10-years of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government’s rule to a decision and action- oriented governance model that has ensured development for all.

Interacting with the media, Nadda said, nine years ago India was seen as a “corrupt nation” and the country was witness to indecisiveness. “Before 2014 when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was given the command, you saw what the economic and political situation was; the level of decision (making) and the compulsions of taking such decision that were not in the favour of the country…and then you saw under the PM’s leadership what a mazboot and damdar (strong) government is and how it took decisive decisions,” Nadda said.

The BJP also presented a compendium of its achievements at the event to mark the ninth anniversary of the government, which was attended by several union ministers, including home minister, Amit Shah; defence minister, Rajnath Singh; finance minister, Nirmala Sitharaman; commerce minister Piyush Goyal ; rail and IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaq; sports and I&B minister Anurag Thakur; and minister for women and child development, Smriti Irani who made a presentation on the occasion.

The Congress was, however, sharply critical of the government’s track record on the occasion.

“On the completion of nine years of the Modi Government, the Congress party wants to ask nine questions to Prime Minister, Narendra Modi…,” the party’s general secretary, Jairam Ramesh said while releasing the document. The questions cover issues related to the economy, agriculture, cronyism, social harmony and justice, democracy and federalism, welfare schemes, and the management of the Covid pandemic. “Why didn’t farmers income double over 9 years?” asks one, a reference to one of the BJP’s poll promises. “Why are you ignoring the demand for a caste census?” asks another, referencing an issue that seems to have gathered some political traction, at least in the Hindi belt.

The BJP, in turn, criticised the Congress for raising questions about national security and financial irregularities, pointing out the “lapses” on both fronts on the latter’s watch.

Former union minister and senior BJP leader, Ravi Shankar Prasad termed the Congress’ claims a “pack of lies”. “The questions asked by the Congress are a bundle of lies and mountain of deception. These nine questions are not arising out of any criticism which is their right but out of pathological hatred for Narendra Modi,” Prasad said.

He slammed the Congress for corruption scandals in the decade of the UPA’s rule between 2004 and 2014 , specifically listing irregularities in allocation of coal block licences and spectrum, and in the purchase of helicopters and submarines.

While the Congress said the BJP should come clean on Chinese incursions on Indian soil, Prasad retorted that the party would do well to recall that the territory that India lost to Chinese incursion happened on their watch. He said the government “banned 300 Chinese apps” and also gave a “ befitting reply to Pakistan after attacks in Uri.”

In 2016, India carried out strikes across the LoC after terror attacks in J&K’s Uri sector. In 2019, Indian fighter jets bombed a camp belonging to the Jaish-e-Mohammad terror group in Pakistan. Both these counter terror measures have been flagged by the BJP as proof of its zero tolerance for terror activities and its decisive intent.

The BJP refuted the Congress’ allegation that the economy is in dire state and there is increasing economic disparity and said the country has grown rapidly to become the fifth largest economy in the world.

“The size of India’s economy was $1 trillion in 2014 when the BJP government was sworn in and it is now nearly $3.5 trillion,” Prasad said.

Responding to the Congress’ charge on the government’s handling of the pandemic, Prasad said the party should not weaken the country’s resolve through its criticism as it amounts to insulting lakhs of service providers, doctors, nurses, sweepers, ambulance drivers… who saved lives.

In the document that questions the government on a slew of issues, the Congress has drawn attention to issues of unemployment, price rise and financial irregularities which led to public sector banks facing losses. “Unemployment has been at its highest since independence and the way the government has tried to hide it is a tragedy. The Centre has fallen into their own trap but now the poor understand it,” Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said.

Among the achievements listed by the government at the event were the implementation of schemes using the “JAM” trinity, Jan Dhan, Aadhaar and Mobile; using technology and digital tools to ensure transparency and plug leakages in governance; direct benefit transfer (DBT) and Aadhaar authentication for delivery of benefits and ensuring food security to 800 million Indians.

The government said it has transferred more than ₹25 lakh crore to beneficiaries of various schemes through DBT and provided tap water to 86.7 million new households till March 2023 under the Jal Jeevan Mission.