Raichur, 23 JUNE

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for "trivialising" the opposition and skipping all-party meetings convened after the Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 civilians. Addressing a public gathering in Raichur, Karnataka, Kharge said Modi’s absence from the meetings reflected his "scant respect" for democratic norms.

Kharge lauded the armed forces for swiftly striking terror bases across the border but condemned attempts by some individuals to take undue credit. “If they had served as a captain or colonel, we’d have applauded them. But that’s not the case,” he remarked, without naming the PM directly.

He questioned why the Prime Minister was absent from crucial meetings while leaders from across the country made time to attend. “Modi was in India but chose to campaign in Bihar instead. This is unacceptable when the country is in crisis.”

Kharge also criticised Modi for remaining silent on the US imposing retaliatory tariffs and for inaction during the Iran-Israel conflict. He accused the government of saffronising education and claimed RSS-linked individuals were favoured in public appointments.

Defending Congress’s welfare schemes, he said attempts to undermine them would fail. “Social justice is central to our vision—something the BJP cannot replicate,” he concluded.