Indian Congress leader accuses Modi govt of corruption, coverups

ISLAMABAD: Congress lawmaker Jairam Ramesh on Monday accused the Narendra Modi-led government of being marked by corruption and cover-ups, listing a series of alleged scandals and governance failures in a post on X.

Ramesh contrasted Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 2014 anti-corruption pledge with what he described as a record of alleged misconduct during the government's tenure.

"In May 2014, Narendra Modi became Prime Minister with the slogan 'I will not take bribes, nor will I allow others to.' But this claim soon proved hollow," Ramesh wrote.

‘Organized plunder’

He referred to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's criticism of the November 8, 2016 demonetization, saying Singh had described it as "organized plunder and legal dacoity."

Ramesh also alleged that "to cover up a ₹20,000 crore scandal from his tenure as Gujarat Chief Minister, the GSPC was forcibly merged into ONGC."

He further claimed that "the announcement of electoral bonds... later turned out to be a massive ₹4 lakh crore 'donate and get business' scam."

‘Modani empire’

The Congress leader also cited the expansion of the "Modani empire," saying it had "laid bare the true nature of Modi rule," and referred to Congress's "Who Are We to Adani" series of questions.

He said that "serious questions raised about the Rafale deal remain unanswered to this day."

Ramesh also criticized the PM CARES Fund, calling it "completely opaque and unaccountable," and alleged that despite the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) being weakened, "reports of large-scale fictitious expenditures have surfaced in major Modi government schemes like Ayushman Bharat and Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana."

‘Donation theft, faith betrayal’ 

Listing what he described as recent evidence supporting his allegations, Ramesh wrote: "The 'donation theft, faith betrayal' carried out by individuals connected to the RSS-BJP ecosystem in the Ayodhya Ram Temple is a jolt to the nation's collective conscience."

"The Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh remains in office, even though on April 6, 2026, the Supreme Court ordered a CBI probe into decisions taken during his ten-year tenure that benefited his family members," he mentioned.

Ramesh highlighted, "The Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, against whom credible revelations have surfaced regarding suspicious land deals and transactions benefiting his relatives, remains in office."

"Attempts are being made to break opposition parties by offering various financial inducements."

"A Minister of State in the Modi government remains in office despite revelations that he availed subsidies under a scheme run by his own ministry," he wrote.

‘Corrupt and compromised’ 

Ramesh stated, "Four close aides of the Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change were abruptly sacked overnight, raising legitimate suspicions about how so much smoke can rise without a fire."

"Decisions related to E20 are being taken in such a way that their massive benefits accrue to the family of the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways," he wrote.

Ramesh further listed, "The Chief Minister of Delhi has now assumed office in her own right, but there is ample evidence that her family members are actively interfering in administrative and governance matters."

Ramesh further alleged that the prime minister had retained the Union Education minister despite what he described as a compromised examination system.

"In addition, the Prime Minister continues to retain the Union Education Minister in office, under whose tenure the examination system has become corrupt and compromised, betraying the hopes and aspirations of millions of youth across the country," he wrote.

Concluding his post, Ramesh said: "PM Modi has delivered 'Minimum Governance, Maximum Cover-Ups.' For him, it has always been—'I will take, I will let others take, and I will make others take.'"