"Do teach us the mantra of 'growth' that you taught Adani": Kharge's jibe at PM Modi

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday lashed out at the PM Narendra Modi-led central government terming it as undemocratic, and said people will have to strongly fight against its dictatorship to save democracy.

Taking a jibe at PM Narendra Modi, Kharge urged him to teach the magical mantra of growth that Modi allegedly taught industrialist Gautam Adani and by which Adani's wealth grew 13 times in just three years.

He was addressing a public rally at Jora village on the outskirts of Raipur city after the conclusion of the three-day 85th plenary session of the Congress.

The wealth of Adani before 2004 was Rs 3,000 crore, which increased to Rs 50,000 crore in 2014. From 2021 to 2023, it has increased 13 times, he claimed.

"Please tell me which magic is this. The mantra you gave to Adani please give to us," he said.

How Re 1 becomes Rs 13 or Rs 1 lakh become Rs 13 lakh in only two-and-a-half years, Kharge asked.

Targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Congress chief said, "He mortgaged the entire country for one person."

"The government at the Centre is not democratic. It does not work for the people. This government only runs its dictatorship," he said.

"We are not free to raise issues related to the poor, Scheduled Tribes, Scheduled Caste and women there (in Parliament). My speech and Rahul ji's speech were expunged. We did not use any derogatory words, we just asked questions about (industrialist Gautam) Adani," he said.

People will have to strongly fight against this dictatorship to save democracy, he added.

Earlier, in his concluding remarks at the party's 85th plenary session in Raipur, Kharge said the session may be ending but it heralds the beginning of a "new Congress".

"Today, we have many challenges before us, but none that the Congress cannot deal with. What is needed is unity, discipline and determination. Our strength lies in the strength of the party," he said.

"Our conduct at the national level will have an impact on crores of party colleagues at every level," the Congress chief added.

Noting that many things change with time, he said people's aspirations and expectations change, new challenges emerge, but new ways are also found out.

"That is why it is said that the path of politics and social work never ends. We just have to keep going. Many of our generations have been walking on this path and will continue to do so in the future," he said.