31 May 2024: As the Lok Sabha election results draw near, the Congress launched a comprehensive critique of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, presenting a detailed list of 272 questions and 117 complaints targeting his tenure. This barrage of inquiries covers various contentious topics, prominently featuring Modi’s Varanasi constituency.
Among the pointed questions, the Congress scrutinizes the privatization of the Varanasi Port. Question 238 specifically asks why the port, inaugurated in early 2019 with substantial investment, failed to meet its cargo handling targets and was subsequently privatized, with Adani Ports emerging as the sole bidder.
Additionally, the Congress highlights the absence of new infrastructure in Varanasi, noting a lack of new government hospitals and continued manual scavenging despite the Swachh Bharat Yojana. One complaint emphasizes that over 25 people in Varanasi have died due to manual scavenging, which persists ten years after the launch of Modi’s cleanliness drive.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, speaking at the AICC headquarters, underscored the party’s intent to hold the PM accountable, symbolized by the cover of their document, depicting an empty chair before microphones – an implicit critique of Modi’s avoidance of press conferences.
The document also criticizes Modi’s handling of economic issues, including joblessness and the MSP issue, as well as regional concerns like alleged Chinese encroachments in Arunachal Pradesh. The Congress has also lodged 117 specific complaints, detailing failures and grievances from various states and Union territories.
The Congress’s questions extend beyond Varanasi, challenging Modi’s broader governance, including the functioning of the Enforcement Directorate, which they accuse of targeting opposition leaders while ignoring allegations against prominent industrialists.
With the Lok Sabha election results imminent, these questions and complaints underscore the Congress’s strategy to pressure Modi on multiple fronts, highlighting perceived failings across his tenure as PM and MP for Varanasi. The answers to these questions, according to the Congress, are crucial for the electorate to make an informed decision in the upcoming polls.
