‘How long you plan to rule by…?’: Kharge jabs PM Narendra Modi for raking up 'Emergency'

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge responded to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Emergency remarks on Monday, asking how long the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) wants to rule by talking about it.

"He will say this 100 times. Without declaring an Emergency, you are doing this. How long do you want to rule by talking about this?" Kharge was quoted as saying by ANI. Follow LIVE updates of the Parliament Session.

Earlier today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke about the Emergency while addressing media persons outside the new Parliament building before taking oath as an MP.

Recalling the 21-month period of Emergency that was implemented during Indira Gandhi's rule, Modi said the new generation of India will never forget that time when the country was turned into a prison, adding that they will take a resolution of a vibrant democracy so that no one will dare to do such a thing in India again.

"Tomorrow is 25th June. 25th June marks 50 years since the blot that was put on the democracy of India. The new generation of India will never forget that the Constitution of India was completely rejected, every part of the Constitution was torn to pieces, the country was turned into a prison, and democracy was completely suppressed," he said.

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Later, Kharge, in a separate tweet, said that Prime Minister Modi was reminding the public about the 50-year-old Emergency, but have forgotten the last 10 years of “undeclared Emergency”.

“You are reminding us of the 50-year-old Emergency, but have forgotten the last 10 years of Undeclared Emergency, which was ended by the people,” Kharge wrote on X.

"People have given their mandate against Modi ji. Despite this, if he has become the Prime Minister, then he should work…People need substance, not slogans" - remember this yourself."

Kharge said Modi made a longer than usual customary address "but clearly, even after the moral and political defeat, the arrogance remains".

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He added that the nation was hoping that Modi would say something about important issues.

“He will show some sympathy towards the youth regarding the paper leak in NEET and other recruitment examinations, but he did not take any responsibility for the massive rigging and corruption of his government,” Kharge said.