New Delhi

The Congress on Tuesday criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his statement in the Rajya Sabha on the West Asia situation, calling it a “self-congratulatory” address that lacked accountability.

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said the prime minister spoke for about 20 minutes in the Upper House but did not allow the Opposition to seek clarifications afterward. He alleged that, much like the previous day’s address in the Lok Sabha, the statement appeared to be pre-written and focused heavily on highlighting the government’s achievements over the past decade.

Ramesh also accused the prime minister of inconsistency, particularly when he appealed for cooperation from states while, according to the Congress, their constitutional rights have often been undermined.

He further criticised the Centre’s stance on welfare measures, pointing out what he described as contradictions. He said the call to protect migrant workers came despite alleged weakening of schemes like MGNREGA, which had supported many during the COVID-19 pandemic. He also noted that the Prime Minister urged states to implement the PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana, which is based on the National Food Security Act of 2013—a law Modi had opposed during his tenure as Gujarat chief minister.

In his Rajya Sabha address, Modi outlined the government’s response to the ongoing West Asia conflict, stating that seven empowered groups have been formed to devise strategies on critical sectors such as fuel, fertilisers, and supply chains.

He warned that the conflict has triggered a significant global energy crisis and cautioned against attempts to exploit the situation through black marketing or hoarding. The prime minister also assured that efforts are being made to secure crude oil and gas supplies from multiple sources and to ensure adequate availability of fertilisers across the country.