New Delhi [India], June 8: Congress MP Jairam Ramesh has strongly criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for avoiding unscripted media interactions over his 11 years in power, calling it a serious breach of democratic accountability.
Speaking to ANI, Ramesh pointed out that PM Modi continues to shun free-wheeling press conferences, preferring tightly-controlled interviews. “The Prime Minister has never faced spontaneous media questions. During the 2024 elections, all his interviews looked like he was the producer, director, actor and cameraman,” he remarked.
Ramesh further accused Modi of ignoring Parliamentary accountability, skipping all-party meetings, and responding to criticism with historical deflections. “Any achievement is credited to Narendra Modi. Any question is blamed on Jawaharlal Nehru,” he said.
He added that Modi speaks rarely in Parliament—usually only during the Motion of Thanks—and avoids substantive debates on pressing national issues like foreign policy, economic conditions, and internal security, including the recent terror attack in Pahalgam.
Questions Over Electoral Process
The Congress leader also echoed Rahul Gandhi’s concerns over alleged rigging in the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly Elections, warning that the same could happen in Bihar’s upcoming polls.
Ramesh said Congress’ demands—like making electoral rolls publicly available in a digital, machine-readable format—are “simple, logical, and apolitical.” He questioned the Election Commission’s independence, asking why BJP chief JP Nadda appears to be speaking on its behalf. “Why is the EC silent while JP Nadda responds to our questions?” he asked.
Rahul Gandhi recently posted an article on social media alleging that the Maharashtra polls were manipulated through a five-step plan—starting with rigging the EC appointment panel, adding fake voters, inflating turnout, targeting seats for bogus votes, and finally, covering up the evidence.
Demands a Special Session of Parliament
Calling for a special session ahead of the monsoon session, Ramesh urged the government to allow open discussions on national security and governance failures.
In conclusion, Ramesh said, “If PM Modi truly believes in democracy and media freedom, let him face unscripted questions like every other democratic leader in the world. Until then, where is the transparency and accountability?”