In a fervent and combative speech, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi unleashed a series of sharp criticisms aimed at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing a range of national issues while calling for accountability. Speaking after inaugurating a life-size statue of the late Congress stalwart Patangrao Kadam, Gandhi's remarks on Thursday touched on a spectrum of concerns, from the collapse of a statue of the legendary Maratha warrior Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj to the effects of demonetization, the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST), and controversial farm laws.
His speech also delved into broader political themes, including the relationship between big business and the Modi government, the need for a caste census, and the larger ideological battle between the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Gandhi began his address by targeting Prime Minister Modi directly, arguing that an apology was not just warranted for the collapse of the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Sindhudurg district but also for what Gandhi described as a series of policy missteps that have adversely affected millions of Indians. "Modi should apologize to each and every citizen of Maharashtra for the insult caused to the legendary 17th-century warrior king when the statue at Rajkot fort collapsed on August 26," Gandhi declared. The collapse of Shivaji’s statue—a symbol of immense historical and cultural significance to the people of Maharashtra—triggered public outrage. Gandhi saw this incident as emblematic of deeper issues within the Modi government, which he claimed repeatedly fails to serve the public’s interest.
The statue collapse incident quickly became a political flashpoint in Maharashtra, with the BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP alliance government coming under fire from the opposition. Rahul Gandhi's critique centered on a particular accusation: that the contract to create the Shivaji statue had been awarded to someone within the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Modi's ideological alma mater. "Is Modi apologizing because the contract to make the Shivaji statue was given to an RSS person who had no merit, or for the corruption in the process?" Gandhi asked rhetorically, drawing attention to allegations of cronyism.
Moving beyond the specific incident of the statue, Gandhi broadened his criticism to include a sweeping condemnation of Prime Minister Modi’s economic policies. He raised familiar but potent criticisms related to demonetization, the GST, and farm laws, arguing that Modi had consistently failed to take responsibility for policies that had harmed ordinary Indians. Gandhi reiterated the Congress Party’s longstanding position that demonetization—Modi's surprise decision in 2016 to ban high-denomination currency notes—had caused severe disruption to the economy, disproportionately affecting small and medium businesses, farmers, and the rural poor. The GST, meanwhile, had been implemented in a manner that Gandhi claimed was "flawed" and "wrong," creating confusion and adding to the burden on businesses already grappling with demonetization's aftereffects.
For Rahul Gandhi, these policy missteps were not just isolated incidents of poor governance; they were part of a larger pattern of favoritism and crony capitalism. In a scathing critique of Modi’s government, Gandhi asked, "Why are all contracts given only to Adani and Ambani? Why is the Prime Minister running the government only for two people?" This accusation, that Modi’s policies favor the business conglomerates run by Gautam Adani and Mukesh Ambani—two of India’s richest men—has long been a central theme in Congress's attacks on the BJP. Gandhi argues that these policies, from demonetization to the farm laws, have been designed to benefit big businesses at the expense of small traders, farmers, and the working class. This, he claimed, was particularly evident in the government's farm laws, which were repealed in 2021 following large-scale protests by farmers.
In a particularly emotive part of his speech, Gandhi turned his attention to the ongoing crisis in Manipur, where ethnic violence has led to significant unrest. "Modi has not visited Manipur, which is facing a civil war-like situation," Gandhi said, accusing the BJP of exacerbating the conflict. According to Gandhi, the Modi government’s handling of the crisis in the northeastern state was indicative of its larger governance failure. The situation in Manipur, Gandhi suggested, reflected a broader tendency within the BJP to stoke divisions and allow chaos to unfold in parts of the country.
Further criticizing Modi’s economic policies, Gandhi painted a grim picture of the state of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in India. He claimed that these businesses were being systematically "finished" to make room for large conglomerates controlled by the likes of Adani and Ambani. This, Gandhi argued, was a central reason why the country was struggling to generate sufficient employment. For Gandhi, the health of small and medium enterprises is directly linked to job creation, and the decline of these sectors under Modi’s rule has been a critical factor behind rising unemployment. Gandhi’s message was clear: the government’s policies are contributing to growing economic inequality and undermining India’s economic potential by prioritizing the interests of a few over the many.
Rahul Gandhi’s speech was not just a critique of Modi and the BJP; it was also an assertion of the Congress Party’s own ideological position. He connected the legacy of historical figures like Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, and Mahatma Jyotirao Phule to the Congress Party’s values, emphasizing that these towering personalities had all stood for social progress and justice. "The ideology of these towering personalities is the same as that of the Congress," he said. For Gandhi, Maharashtra—a state with a strong legacy of progressive thought—represented a battleground for the country’s ideological future.
According to Gandhi, the fight between the BJP and Congress is fundamentally a struggle between two contrasting ideologies: one that seeks to create a more equitable and socially progressive society, and another that perpetuates inequality and serves only a select few. "We want social progress and to take everyone along, while the BJP wants development of a selected few," he said. Gandhi accused the BJP of wanting to maintain the caste system, undermine the Constitution, and take control of key democratic institutions like the Election Commission, educational institutions, and the judiciary. He claimed that the only criterion for advancement under the BJP was allegiance to the RSS, the Hindu nationalist organization that is the ideological backbone of the ruling party.
One of the central demands that Gandhi reiterated in his speech was for a nationwide caste census. He argued that such a census was essential to understanding the distribution of wealth and opportunities among different social groups. "The caste census would provide a snapshot of how many people are there in different social strata, and their share in the country's wealth and decision-making," Gandhi said. The Congress leader pointed out that while the BJP and the RSS have been reluctant to conduct such a census, the Congress and its allies in the INDIA bloc would push for it. Gandhi framed the caste census as a tool for achieving social justice, enabling policymakers to create more equitable policies that reflect the true diversity of Indian society.
In a final dig at Modi, Gandhi drew a contrast between the late Patangrao Kadam, whose statue he had just inaugurated, and the Prime Minister. Kadam, Gandhi said, had worked for 60 years with transparency, love, and genuine effort, and had never needed to ask for forgiveness. "Forgiveness is asked for when you make a mistake," Gandhi added. By implication, Gandhi was suggesting that Modi’s apology over the Shivaji statue collapse was insincere and that the Prime Minister’s record on governance was filled with mistakes that required far more than apologies.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, who also spoke at the event, echoed Gandhi’s sentiments. Kharge described the collapse of the Shivaji Maharaj statue as an "insult to the state and the country" and emphasized that the opposition’s Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance was ready to fight the upcoming Maharashtra assembly elections as a united force. In a pointed remark, Kharge said, "All the real NCP and Shiv Sena leaders are with us; the fake ones are on the other side." He warned that if the BJP were to lose Maharashtra, the Modi government itself would be in danger.
Together, Gandhi and Kharge’s speeches underscored the Congress Party’s strategy for the upcoming elections in Maharashtra and beyond: to present the BJP as a party that has betrayed the interests of the people, while positioning the Congress as the true inheritor of India’s progressive legacy.
