Opposition: President’s address has no substance, a recycled ritual

“While making lofty speeches on ‘development’, the anti-poor, pro-crony Modi government has mercilessly dismantled MGNREGA… snatching away only source of livelihood for crores of workers,” said Kharge.

2 min readNew DelhiJan 29, 2026 04:08 AM IST

Opposition, Droupadi Murmu, President Droupadi Murmu, Mallikarjun Kharge, Viksit Bharat, President’s address, Indian express news, current affairs

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge said, “Every year, the Union Cabinet clears the President’s address like a recycled ritual, reusing the same set of claims without truth or accountability.”

The Opposition on Wednesday slammed President Droupadi Murmu’s address to the joint sitting of Parliament, saying the speech was “recycled” and lacked “truth or accountability”.

On the first day of the Budget Session, Murmu highlighted the government’s agenda around big-ticket economic reforms, rural employment, national security, and social welfare, while invoking civilisational icons and regional pride in her speech that comes months before key state elections.

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge said, “Every year, the Union Cabinet clears the President’s address like a recycled ritual, reusing the same set of claims without truth or accountability.” He said the slogan of “Viksit Bharat” is repeated “loudly”, yet it carries no clear goals, no timelines and no measurable outcomes.

“While making lofty speeches on ‘development’, the anti-poor, pro-crony Modi government has mercilessly dismantled MGNREGA… snatching away only source of livelihood for crores of workers,” said Kharge.

TMC deputy leader in RS Sagarika Ghose said the President’s address “only confirms what Opposition has been saying – the Modi government lives in deep denial”. “At a time of sharply rising income inequalities and drastically falling rupee, there is need for more introspection and less of a self-promoting drumbeat.”

SP MP Rajeev Rai said the President skipped all important issues and claimed the address was devoid of facts. “The government used the President’s address to further push the lies being spread by it. If 25 crore people being lifted from poverty, then why are 80 crore people being given ration.”

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