The BJP government’s nine-year tenure has been a complete failure on all fronts, according to senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram. In a media address, he criticized the government’s domestic policies, foreign relations, security, and the economy. He called the recent withdrawal of the Rs 2,000 notes foolish, especially in light of the high poverty rate in India. Chidambaram also expressed concerns about the state of democracy and the growing gap between the central and state governments.
In terms of foreign relations, Chidambaram stated that India’s relationships with neighboring countries such as Pakistan, China, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka have soured due to the government’s ineffective foreign policies. He claimed that China has encroached upon Indian-held territory while strengthening its alliance with Pakistan, which has spread the security threat to India’s borders. Chidambaram also criticized the government’s handling of security issues, affirming that security threats are not being discussed in Parliament.
Regarding the economy, he cited persistent inflation, growing inequalities, and the highest unemployment rate at 7.5 percent. Chidambaram believes that this is a far cry from the 9% average growth rate during the Dr. Manmohan Singh era.
The Mumbai press conference was part of the Opposition’s outreach program to expose the government on the ninth anniversary of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s tenure.
P. Chidambaram is a senior Congress leader and former Union Minister of Finance and Home Affairs. He is a prominent critic of the BJP government.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is India’s ruling political party, and it adheres to the ideology of Hindutva, which seeks to establish India as a Hindu state. It took power in 2014 and was re-elected in 2019 under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership.
