Why President Murmu remained silent on inflation, Manipur and minorities, asks Kharge

The President cannot let the government get away with choosing instead to advise the opposition to rise above partisan politics, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said in his first reaction to the speech Droupadi Murmu in front of the Joint Houses of Parliament, Thursday June 27.

Pointing out that in the last five years, there have been at least 12 cases of leakage of documents in the 66 entrance tests conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA), which involved 7.5 million candidates, the Congress leader accused the government of shirking its responsibility. Pointing fingers at the Opposition for allegedly “politicising” the issue does not absolve the government, he said.

The Congress leader also expressed disappointment over President Murmu’s speech, which made no mention of the soaring food price inflation, the ongoing conflicts in Manipur or the increasing mob attacks and state measures against minorities.

Manipur has seen an exponential rise in cases of extortion and kidnapping, but the government, which prepared the president’s speech, appears to be ignoring the situation. Kharge also expressed concern over increasing violent attacks on Muslims, Dalits and Adivasis in BJP-ruled states, which was also not mentioned in the President’s speech.