On Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi unleashed a scathing attack on the Congress, accusing it of wanting foreign involvement in India's domestic affairs and harming the country's reputation abroad. He claimed that the opposition party's persistent efforts to elevate its leader, Rahul Gandhi, to political prominence were endangering the interests of the country.
Speaking at the NDTV World Summit 2026, Prime Minister Modi claimed that while nations around the world were looking for a new international order, certain Indians were aiming to cause chaos at home. Instead of undermining its accomplishments, he argued, the nation should represent power and stability abroad.
"When the entire world is in search of a new order, some people are dreaming of disorder in India. Today, when there is so much disorder in the world, a strong picture of India should be presented to the world, but these people are interested only in ruining the reputation of the country. These people go abroad and defame India. They ask foreigners to intervene," said he.
"How long will Congress attempt to introduce its unsuccessful product?"
"I don't know how long the Congress will continue to put the country at stake for the launch of its failed product," the Prime Minister said, mocking the party's political strategy without specifically mentioning Gandhi. He joked, "The Satish Dhawan Space Center at Sriharikota does not see as many launches as the Congress tries, unsuccessfully, to launch its leader in a year."
"We don't mind if the party does whatever it wants to destroy itself. However, the Congress is now jeopardizing India's progress, glory, and accomplishments in order to spare one family from the stigma of failure. The Congress is now busy removing the vine since the grapes are so bad," he continued.
Congress is referred to by the PM as a "parasite."
Additionally, PM Modi called the Congress a "parasite" and charged that it was impeding the development of other political parties and organizations. He claimed that the party's reaction to losing power was a reflection of bitterness and a desire to overthrow the very system that had prevented it from winning over the public.
The Prime Minister's comments were a part of a larger critique of the Congress's engagement with foreign audiences and national politics. He maintained that India's growth accomplishments and prestige shouldn't be sacrificed for political conflicts.
