Congress President Kharge Extols Nehru and Gandhi Legacies, Challenges BJP Narrative on Agricultural Self-Sufficiency

Addressing a public gathering in Barpeta, Assam, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on April 27th lauded the foundational role of his party, particularly highlighting the transformative legacies of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi in revolutionizing India’s agricultural and industrial landscapes.

Kharge challenged the BJP’s narrative regarding India’s agricultural self-sufficiency, asserting, “These people (BJP) advertise that PM Modi is the only one who was born to help the poor. In a country where rice and wheat weren’t produced enough and we had to import from America, today we are producing sufficient amounts of wheat, rice, and pulses. This is all because of Congress, Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru, and Indira Gandhi who brought the Green Revolution and White Revolution to the country.”

He invoked the monumental shifts in India’s agricultural and industrial sectors, attributing them to the visionary leadership of Nehru and Gandhi. “In a country where not even a needle used to be manufactured, if someone dared to launch rockets, it was Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi,” Kharge emphasized.

The Congress leader’s open letter to Prime Minister Modi regarding the Congress manifesto stirred controversy, intensifying the political landscape surrounding the upcoming elections. Defending his decision to engage directly with Modi during a press conference in Guwahati, Kharge stated, “I have spoken to PM Modi and not Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma because I am a leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha… It’s Modi… so I will speak to Modi why he (Himanta Biswa Sarma) is bothered about it… Let him face our people here. Then speak about me.”

This exchange ensued following Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma’s invitation for Kharge to join the BJP, which followed Kharge’s statement urging Modi to peruse the Congress manifesto before engaging in discussions.

Sarma issued a direct invitation, stating, “Why should there be any meeting between Kharge and the BJP at this time? If Kharge wants to join the BJP, then he should and he can come.”