Democracy bulldozed, federalism attacked: Kharge

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge connected Sunday (January 25, 2026) accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Union authorities of systematically undermining antiauthoritarian institutions and eroding the national structure, informing that the “very foundations of the republic” were nether strain arsenic India marked the 77th day of the adoption of its Constitution.

In his Republic Day connection to the nation, posted connected societal media level X, Mr. Kharge said the close to ballot — “a beardown pillar of democracy” — was being “bulldozed”, portion federalism had go a casualty of the ruling party’s “double-engine” governance model, which helium alleged was being utilized to disadvantage Opposition-ruled States.

“The Constitutional rights of crores of MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) workers are nether attack, livelihoods are being snatched away, and panchayats are being weakened astatine the grassroots,” Mr. Kharge said, alleging that the rights-based societal payment model built implicit decades was being dismantled done “instant diktats”. He added that organization degradation had reached its “zenith”.

Recalling the adoption of the Constitution successful 1950, Mr. Kharge described it arsenic the “enduring guardian of our conscience and the precise psyche of the Indian republic”. He paid homage to the architects of the Indian Constitution, including Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, B.R. Ambedkar, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, and members of the Constituent Assembly, for crafting a papers that embodied the aspirations of a divers nation.

The Congress president besides expressed gratitude to the equipped forces, paramilitary personnel, scientists, teachers, farmers, and regular wage workers, describing them arsenic the backbone of the country’s progress. However, helium said, these precise sections were bearing the brunt of argumentation failures and corruption.

Citing reports of the Comptroller and Auditor General, Mr. Kharge alleged large-scale irregularities successful flagship authorities schemes. He claimed that 41% of cards nether the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana were recovered to beryllium fraudulent, with different 34% nether investigation, portion corruption levels successful the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana were arsenic precocious arsenic 94%.

Public infrastructure was crumbling, with bridges collapsing and roads deteriorating crossed the country, and municipality surviving conditions had worsened contempt the committedness of “smart cities”, helium alleged. “Health infrastructure has collapsed and healthcare is nary longer affordable,” the Congress person said.

On the economy, Mr. Kharge said unemployment had reached alarming levels and economical inequality had widened to “frightening proportions”. He accused the authorities of favouring “crony billionaire friends” by handing implicit the country’s resources, portion tiny and mean enterprises struggled to survive.

Mr. Kharge besides warned that a “divisive docket rooted successful spiritual fundamentalism” implicit the past decennary had fractured the societal fabric. He said Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, women, minorities, and different marginalised groups were being treated arsenic “second-class citizens”, with unit and atrocities against them being condoned. Those committed to the secular ideals of the state movement, helium alleged, were being targeted done orchestrated propaganda.

Calling upon citizens to support Constitutional values, Mr. Kharge said the clip had travel to basal firmly for “justice, liberty, equality and fraternity”. Safeguarding the Constitution, helium said, would beryllium the truest tribute to the sacrifices of India’s state fighters. “Let america beryllium prepared to marque each sacrifice indispensable to support the Constitution,” Mr. Kharge said.