New Delhi: Congress on Sunday reacted strongly to Prime Minister Narendra ModiIn an interview with the Press Trust of India news agency, he called it a “well-planned and desperate PR campaign” and claimed that its purpose was to divert people’s attention from key issues.Party leader Jairam Ramesh said the interview was aimed at diverting attention from criticism of the federal budget and opposition attacks on the government in parliament.“The Prime Minister knows that this year’s Budget is a murky squib and shows every sign of intellectual exhaustion. Markets reacted negatively and investors were indifferent. So he felt it necessary to give an interview two weeks after the Budget was presented and days after it was torn apart by the opposition in Parliament. As usual, Modi-esque quips mean little in reality. ” Ramesh said in a post on X.Ramesh claimed that Prime Minister Modi is facing pressure over the trade deal with the United States and farmers’ issues, and said that Prime Minister Modi is trying to change public opinion through media propaganda.“The Prime Minister is under siege and attack for capitulating to the US on the trade deal and now he is resorting to his favorite headline management tactic. He is trying to divert attention from his betrayal of thousands of farmers and other acts of capitulation. His so-called interview is not an interview but a well-planned and desperate PR campaign,” he further wrote. Ramesh added in Hindi: “Pradhan Mantri also bowed and sat down.”Prime Minister Modi said in an interview that the private sector will play a decisive role in driving India’s next phase of economic transformation, claiming that reforms have been the core commitment of the Indian government “in letter and spirit”. He said the next leap towards ‘Viksit Bharat’ will depend on bold investments by the industry in innovation, long-term capabilities and global competitiveness.The Prime Minister said the latest Union Budget was not a “can’t miss it” moment born out of compulsion but a “we are ready” moment born out of preparation and inspiration, claiming that it reflected India’s “desire” to become a developed nation. He maintained that none of his government’s budget had been prepared with the attitude of making a routine “bahi khata” document.Highlighting digital growth and infrastructure expansion, Prime Minister Modi said India has emerged as a global digital leader due to reforms in transactions through the UPI platform, adding that data centers will create a large number of employment opportunities. He also said that India is witnessing the largest infrastructure development in its history and stressed that the government will make every effort to support and modernize the defense forces.The Prime Minister criticized the record of the previous UPA government, saying that during his tenure, negotiations would start and then break down, with little substantive results being achieved despite lengthy negotiations. He also said that political stability and predictability have restored investor confidence in India and asserted that every decision taken by the government is guided by the welfare of women.
