Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing a public meeting in Wardha, Maharashtra, on the one-year anniversary of the PM Vishwakarma scheme, took aim at the Congress, labeling it the "most corrupt" party, now being influenced by what he described as the tukde tukde gang and urban Naxals. Modi emphasized that today's Congress is far removed from the party Mahatma Gandhi once belonged to, accusing it of losing its patriotic spirit.
“The ghost of hatred has entered the Congress,” Modi declared, adding that the party’s leadership has embraced “anti-India agendas,” a subtle reference to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s controversial remarks during his US visit, where he spoke about scrapping the reservation system. Without naming the Gandhi family, Modi criticized Congress for being led by a "shahi parivar," referring to them as the "most corrupt family."
He also accused the Congress of disrespecting Hindu traditions, particularly the Ganpati puja. Citing an incident in Karnataka, he claimed that a Ganpati idol was put behind bars by Congress leaders and its allies in Maharashtra remained silent on this insult. Modi warned Maharashtra voters of Congress' "duplicity" ahead of the state elections, asserting that “falsehood and betrayal” are its hallmarks.
Modi further condemned Congress for exploiting farmers for political gain, saying the party had failed to deliver on promises to them and had destroyed agricultural prosperity. He contrasted this with his government’s achievements, stating that his administration’s efforts, particularly the PM Vishwakarma scheme, were aimed at uplifting marginalized communities such as the SCs, STs, and OBCs, which he claimed Congress had long neglected.
Highlighting the scheme’s achievements, Modi said that more than 20 lakh people across 18 traditional professions were connected to the Vishwakarma initiative over the past year, with over 8 lakh artisans and craftsmen receiving skill training. He framed the Vishwakarma Yojana not as a mere government program but as a roadmap to revive and modernize India’s ancient traditional skills, allowing artisans to transition into entrepreneurs. Modi lamented that post-Independence governments failed to support rural traditional skills, which deteriorated over time.
During his visit, Modi also inaugurated several initiatives, including the Acharya Chanakya Skill Development Centre and the Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar Women Startup Scheme, aimed at empowering women entrepreneurs. He also laid the foundation stone for a 1,000-acre PM MITRA Park in Amravati, envisioned to elevate India’s textile industry to the global stage. A commemorative postage stamp was released to mark the occasion.
