Opposition leaders on Thursday slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Independence Day speech, alleging that it failed to address the significant issues that the nation is facing in today's time.
Communist Party of India (CPI) General Secretary D Raja said that PM Modi's 11th consecutive Independence Day speech from Delhi's Red Fort did not unite or inspire people.
"Whatever he spoke is in line with the sinister, divisive agenda of RSS," Raja told news agency PTI, adding that Modi speaks about 2047 but failed to address the issues of plurality, and diversity of the nation.
"He is trying to impose uniformity on the country," Raja alleged.
Further the CPI general secretary said that the Prime Minister also did not speak about what is to be done with the allegations made in the Hinderburg Research report.
"All institutions are compromised, and SEBI is compromised. The Election Commission was compromised earlier. PM could not address any genuine issue that country is facing today," he added.
Meanwhile, the Congress took exception to the Prime Minister's "communal civil code" remark, saying that it was a "gross insult" to BR Ambedkar.
The grand old party alleged that PM Modi's capacity for "malice, mischief, and maligning" of history was on full display at the Red Fort.
In his speech, Modi said that the a "secular civil code" is the need of the hour as the existing set of laws was a "communal civil code" and discriminatory.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said, "The non-biological PM's capacity for malice, mischief, and maligning of history knows no bounds. It was on full display today from the Red Fort."
"To say that we have had a 'communal civil code' till now is a gross insult to Dr Ambedkar, who was the greatest champion of reforms in Hindu personal laws that became a reality by the mid-1950s. These reforms had been bitterly opposed by the RSS and the Jan Sangh," he said in a post on X.
The Prime Minister, in his speech, had said that it is only if we move towards a secular civil code, that religion-based discrimination end. "It would also end the disconnect the common people feel," he added.
Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Manoj Jha said that the Prime Minister has not realised that the country has only one PM, adding that those who voted for the opposition do not have a separate PM.
"The most important and concerning point is that even for the 11th time, Narendra Modi has failed to understand that he is the country's prime minister. The opposition, or the people who did not vote for you do not have a separate prime minister," Jha said.
The Rajya Sabha MP said that every time the opposition has expected the PM to have a big heart, "we have been disappointed".
"Even a polite conversation can seem awkward if it is held impolitely. Whether the statement on Viksit Bharat, saying that some people want destruction, this is a political speech," Jha added.
The RJD leader condemned the communal civil code remark, saying that secularism is a process, it has to be imbibed. "Every time we expect that the PM will give up a narrow mindset and have a broad-minded approach," Jha added.
Modi's 98-minute speech turned out to be the longest-ever Independence Day speech, wherein the PM asserted that it is the nation's golden era and a 'Viksit Bharat' by 2047 awaits India.
PM Modi spoke about a range of matters, from atrocities against women to global investments in the nation.
