Govt ran away from debate on China, inflation, unemployment: Cong

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday accused the government of running away from a debate on issues such as Chinese transgressions, inflation and unemployment and said this shows its "governance failure".

He also alleged the Modi government is "rattled" by the "immense support" the Bharat Jodo Yatra is getting, and is finding excuses to stop it.

Chairing a meeting of top leaders on ways to strengthen the organisation and to take forward the party's soon-to-be launched outreach initiative as a follow-up to the Yatra, Kharge said the Opposition put forward 16 major issues during the Winter Session but the Modi government did not agree to hold a debate on even one of them.

The entire Opposition kept demanding a discussion on national security, inflation, unemployment but the government "kept running away", giving one fabricated excuse after the other.

"One thing is definitely worth noting that whether it is the question of China's transgressions or providing employment to the youth, whether it is the rising inflation or any other important issue related to people, the government could not answer on any one of them," the Congress president said.

"In the name of reply, there were only personal attacks from the BJP. This is a proof of the Modi government's colossal governance failure," he alleged.

Talking about the Bharat Jodo Yatra, Kharge said it is creating history and is getting "immense support" from the people. "Due to this, the Modi government is very rattled and is finding excuses to create impediments for the yatra." He also urged Pradesh Congress committees to ensure that the panels that they form are based on merit.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel, general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal, Leader of the House in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, and other general secretaries including Randeep Surjewala, Mukul Wasnik, Kumari Selja, Tariq Anwar, Avinash Pandey were present at the meeting.

Party treasurer Pawan Kumar Bansal, Jitendra Singh and all PCC presidents and CLP leaders were also present.

The Congress has decided to launch to reach out to every household across the country after the yatra concluded late next month.