Niti Aayog an 'Ayogya' body: Congress accuses Modi of hypocrisy as PM chairs key meeting with CMs after Operation Sindoor

Congress lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Centre on Saturday and said the 10th governing council meeting of Niti Aayog was just another diversionary tactic by the Bharatiya Janata Party leader. This is the first time the prime minister is meeting with leaders from other political parties in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor. 

Calling out the agenda for the meeting, Congress secretary (Communications) Jairam Ramesh questioned the Centre's Viksit Bharat goals. Calling the Niti Aayog an 'Aayogya' body, Ramesh asked, "What sort of Viksit Bharat will it be if those in power themselves destroy the bonds of social harmony by their malicious words and deeds?"

The Congress leader also questioned the independence of judiciary, higher education institutions, constitutional bodies and media under the Modi regime. "What sort of Viksit Bharat will it be if the values that India has always stood for are systematically assaulted in full glare of the world? What sort of Viksit Bharat will it be with sharpening economic disparities and inequalities even as wealth continues to accumulate in the hands of a few?" he asked.

Ramesh charged that freedom of speech is under threat in the country. "What sort of Viksit Bharat is it where not only is freedom of speech under threat but freedom after speech is also endangered?" he questioned. "Today's meeting of the नीती आयोग - an अयोग्य body if ever there was one - is yet another exercise in hypocrisy and diversion,"  he added.

Prime Minister Modi is charing the 10th governing council meeting of Niti Aayog at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. Several opposition chief ministers including Pinarayi Vijayan, Siddaramaiah and Mamata Banerjee are not attending the meeting.