Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 31 October 2026 launched a sharp attack on the Opposition at Ekta Nagar in Gujarat, accusing it of abandoning its constitutional duty and degenerating into an 'avrodh paksh' — an obstructionist bloc — that he alleged was actively impeding the country's development. The remarks came during his address at the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas gathering marking the 151st birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

The Charge Against the Opposition

Modi drew on the constitutional framework co-authored by Sardar Patel and B. R. Ambedkar to argue that both the ruling side and the Opposition had defined roles in a democracy. He contended that the current Opposition had abdicated that role entirely.

'In a democracy, the responsibility of the Opposition is to oppose the government's policies. But it is our misfortune that, at present, the Opposition in the country has abandoned its duty and, instead of being the Opposition, has become an obstructionist Opposition,' Modi said.

He further alleged that frustration and disappointment — accumulated over what he framed as a decade of electoral reverses — had driven Opposition parties toward obstruction rather than constructive engagement. 'This is not opposition; this is obstruction. They have made it their politics,' he added, accusing these forces of disregarding constitutional propriety.

National Unity as the Central Theme

The Prime Minister repeatedly stressed the importance of national cohesion at a moment of global turbulence. 'Unity is essential for the country's stability and progress, particularly at a time when several parts of the world are facing wars, resource shortages and disruptions in global supply chains,' he said.

Modi also alleged that certain domestic forces had attempted to sow instability by spreading falsehoods and rumours while India was navigating external pressures. He credited citizens for having 'stood together with the nation during that period.'

Warning on Misinformation and Social Media

The Prime Minister urged the public to stay alert to the use of social media as a vehicle for misinformation, warning that such campaigns were designed to damage India's image and fracture societal unity. He called for collective vigilance and a shared commitment to national development goals.

Viksit Bharat 2047 Reaffirmed

Modi concluded by reiterating the government's stated objective of a developed India by 2047, the centenary year of Independence, framing all obstacles — whether external or domestic — as challenges that the nation would overcome through unity. The occasion of Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, observed annually on Patel's birth anniversary, has in recent years served as a platform for the Centre to articulate its vision of national integration and governance.