Congress’ Supriya Shrinate addressing a press conference at AICC HQ in New Delhi on September 16, 2024.
| Photo Credit: SHIV KUMAR PUSHPAKAR

Asserting that the first 100 days of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government has been marked by “U-turns”, the Congress on Monday said that Mr. Modi in his third term has proven to be a “weak” Prime Minister.

Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate, who heads the party’s social media department, said the government’s first 100 days have been marked by “instability, indecisiveness and immaturity”. She said this period has weighed heavily on the nation’s farmers, youth, women, infrastructure, Railways, and overall peace.

Ms. Shrinate said that the Prime Minister’s relationship with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has soured, there is intense infighting within the BJP and the government lacked direction.

“Do you remember the tall claims made during the election campaign that Narendra Modi was planning for the first 100 days? Where is that plan now? Because from day one, Modi has proven to be a weak Prime Minister, dependent on crutches, setting new records for U-turns,” she said.

Ms. Shrinate referred to the shelving of the plan to hire bureaucrats through the lateral entry route, putting the broadcast Bill on the backburner, sending the Waqf Board Bill to a Joint Parliamentary Committee, going back on the proposal to hike long term capital gains and indexation and announcing the Unified Pension Scheme in place of the National Pension System as examples of U-turns.

Raising queries about the Prime Minister’s plan or vision for the next five years, Ms. Shrinate asked, “Do you have a plan to improve relations with our neighbouring countries? Do you have a plan to address the economy, income inequality, unemployment, inflation, or women’s safety?”

She also talked about the recent flare-up in Manipur where rocket-propelled grenades and drones are being used in attacks, protesters from Ladakh marching towards Delhi to raise the issue of alleged Chinese incursions, economic situation deteriorating with the rupee at a historic low, foreign direct investment (FDI) down 43% and unemployment rate at an eight-month record high.

Talking about the Railways, she said there had been 38 train accidents, resulting in 21 deaths and more than 112 persons injured, in the past 100 days. Similarly, she said there have been 26 terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir that left 21 soldiers and 15 civilians dead while scores were injured.

Ms. Shrinate said 56 major infrastructure projects, including airports, bridges, roads, and statues that were inaugurated recently have crumbled.

“The Jabalpur airport, Delhi, and Rajkot airports couldn’t withstand a single rain. [Chhatrapati] Shivaji’s statue broke within eight months. The leaking roof of the new Parliament building with water falling into buckets below is evidence of failure,” she claimed. Water is leaking inside the sanctum sanctorum of Ram temple in Ayodhya and the ₹18,000-crore Atal Setu bridge in Mumbai has developed cracks, the Congress spokesperson claimed.