New Delhi | The Congress said Monday Prime Minister Narendra Modi had nothing new to offer in his remarks ahead of the start of the 18th Lok Sabha and "as usual resorted to diversion" and that he has forgotten that the last 10 years of "undeclared emergency" was ended by the people.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said Prime Minister Modi made a longer than usual customary address "but clearly, even after the moral and political defeat, the arrogance remains".
Kharge said the nation was hoping that Modi would say something on important issues.
"Narendra Modi ji, you are giving advice to the Opposition. 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," he said in a post on 'X'.
"People have given their mandate against Modi ji. Despite this, if he has become the Prime Minister, then he should work," Kharge added.
Recalling the prime minister's words that "people need substance, not slogans", Kharge said he should remind himself of this.
"The opposition and INDIA Janbandhan want Consensus in Parliament, we will keep raising the voice of the people in the House, on the streets and before everyone. We will protect the Constitution," the Congress chief said.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh also said the prime minister has shown no evidence that he understood the true meaning of the people's verdict "which saw him eking out only a narrow and dubious win in Varanasi".
"The non-biological PM who suffered a resounding personal, political, and moral defeat in the Lok Sabha elections has just given his usual 'desh ke naam sandesh' outside the Parliament as the 18th Lok Sabha prepares to commence its tenure He has said nothing new and as usual resorted to diversion," he said on 'X'.
"Let him be under no doubt: the INDIA Janbandhan will hold him to account for every minute. He stands brutally exposed," Ramesh added.
He put out another post about the opposition's stance versus that of the prime minister.
"The non-biological PM is telling the Opposition: substance, not slogans.
"INDIA is telling him: consensus, not confrontation. The non-biological PM is telling the Opposition: discussion, not disruption. INDIA is telling him: attendance, not absence," he went on to add.
Countering Modi, Kharge also said the nation was hoping that the prime minister would show some sympathy towards the youths in the wake of 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".
"Modi ji also remained silent about the recent train accident in West Bengal and utter mismanagement of the Railways.
"Manipur has been in the grip of violence for the last 13 months, but Modi ji did not bother to visit the state nor did he express any concern about the fresh violence in his speech today," the Congress president added.
"Be it the floods in Assam and the Northeast, the backbreaking Price Rise, the historic fall of the Rupee, or be it the Exit Poll-Stock Market scam, Modi ji is mum.
"Modi government has kept the next census pending for a long time, PM Modi was completely silent even on the caste census," Kharge also said.
In his customary remarks ahead of the start of the 18th Lok Sabha, Modi said India needs a responsible opposition as people want substance, not slogans. He said people want debate, diligence and not disturbance in Parliament.
Modi said people expect good steps from the opposition, but it has been disappointing so far and expressed the hope that it will fulfil its role and maintain democracy's decorum.
Taking a swipe at the Congress without naming it, he said the Emergency's anniversary falls on June 25 and termed it a black spot on India's parliamentary history when the Constitution was discarded and the country turned into a prison.