Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) National President J P Nadda launched a sharp counter-attack on Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday, accusing him of persistently spreading falsehood and lies against the Narendra Modi-led government. Nadda's strong rebuttal came in response to a social media post by Kharge earlier in the day, which alleged that the year 2025 was dominated by the BJP's loot, corruption and misgovernance.
A Battle of Narratives on Social Media
In a detailed post on platform X, Nadda expressed surprise that the principal opposition party continued to peddle what he called lies despite facing repeated electoral setbacks. He pointed to the Congress's losses in several states as evidence of public rejection of its narrative. The Congress lost in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra and it was also completely wiped out in Delhi and Bihar, Nadda stated. He further remarked that in 2025, the people of the country had rejected all their falsehoods, yet the party was not giving up.
Using a Hindi couplet, the BJP chief took a swipe, suggesting the Congress was in denial about having lost all ground. He urged Kharge to introspect instead of being self-obsessed and continuing a campaign of misinformation.
Point-by-Point Rebuttal of Congress Allegations
Nadda systematically addressed a series of 14 allegations raised by the Congress president, offering a vigorous defence of the government's record.
On the critical issue of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), Nadda categorically denied Kharge's claim that the scheme had been abolished, depriving the poor of work. The truth is that it has been expanded and strengthened, with the number of workdays increased to 125 and payment guaranteed within 15 days, he asserted. He added that the scheme had been linked to village empowerment initiatives.
In a pointed dig, Nadda mentioned that while discussions on the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission were happening, Congress leaders were meeting with anti-India individuals at a George Soros-funded alliance.
Addressing allegations of vote chori (vote theft), Nadda turned the tables on the Congress. He questioned how many petitions the party had actually filed with the Election Commission on the matter. He defended the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) and the role of Booth Level Officers (BLOs), stating that it was the people of this country who caught your lies and your falsehoods were also rejected in court. Referring specifically to Bihar, he challenged Kharge on how many Congress booth-level agents actually went to the ground, asserting that there was no theft of votes but a decisive mandate that shut down the Congress's shop of lies.
Defending Economic and Environmental Record
Countering criticism of the economy, Nadda highlighted India's rise as the world's fourth-largest economy and its status as the fastest-growing major economy amid global uncertainty. He contrasted this with the Congress-led UPA era when India was labelled among the fragile five. He also noted that India's foreign exchange reserves were at a record high, accusing the Congress of intentionally ignoring positive indicators to defame the nation.
On environmental issues like mining in the Aravallis, and matters concerning Nicobar, Hasdeo, and Mumbai mangroves, Nadda accused the Congress of hypocrisy. He alleged that during its rule, the hills were openly plundered and the Aravalli range was systematically destroyed through extensive mining. He claimed the Congress government did not save the Aravallis but sold them off, while the current regime imposed bans and limited mining as per court directives.
In a final broadside, Nadda targeted the Congress over its relationship with the judiciary. He alleged that no party had damaged the reputation of the judiciary as much as the Congress, citing instances where it brought impeachment motions against a Supreme Court Chief Justice and a Madras High Court judge when judgments did not go its way.
The exchange underscores the intensifying political rhetoric between the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress as they battle to shape public perception on governance, economy, and democratic processes.
