Kharge on I-Day: Congress changed economic conditions, not just names
Synopsis
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge used the 80th Independence Day to mount a sweeping defence of his party's governance legacy — crediting Congress with 90 per cent of India's developmental progress and drawing a sharp contrast with the NDA's record, accusing the ruling dispensation of changing names rather than economic realities.
Key Takeaways
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge addressed party workers at Indira Bhawan , New Delhi, on 15 August 2025 .
Kharge claimed 90 per cent of India's developmental progress is the contribution of the Congress party .
He credited Nehru with IITs, IIMs, and PSUs; Indira Gandhi with nuclear and military strength; Rajiv Gandhi with the IT Revolution and lowering the voting age to 18 .
Manmohan Singh was praised for MGNREGA, RTI, Right to Education, Forest Rights Act, and Food Security Act.
Kharge accused the current government of 'changing names' rather than improving citizens' economic conditions — a direct reference to the NDA government's renaming of public infrastructure and schemes.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on 15 August 2025 launched a pointed critique of the NDA government during his Independence Day address at the party headquarters, Indira Bhawan, in New Delhi, asserting that the Congress party had focused on transforming the economic lives of ordinary citizens rather than renaming places and schemes. Kharge claimed that 90 per cent of India's developmental progress was the result of Congress-led governments.
Kharge's Core Charge Against the Centre
Speaking at the 80th Independence Day celebrations, Kharge said: 'Today's historic day is not merely a day to commemorate the struggle for Independence, but also an occasion to ask: To what extent has the dream of India envisioned by our freedom fighters been fulfilled?' He underlined that the Congress party, in its 141-year history, had fought against colonial rule for 62 years, with millions making 'immense sacrifices'.
Taking a direct swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government, he said: 'Today, it is said from the Red Fort that everything has been done by them.' He added: 'We did not indulge in merely changing names. We tried to change the people's economic condition.'
Congress Leaders Credited for Nation-Building
Kharge methodically catalogued what he described as the foundational contributions of successive Congress prime ministers. He credited Jawaharlal Nehru with establishing institutions including the IITs, IIMs, and public sector units, as well as building basic infrastructure. 'He referred to irrigation projects as the temples of modern India. Nehru ji did a lot for the country but still he didn't have an iota of arrogance within him,' Kharge said.
He credited late Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri with initiating the Green and White Revolutions, and late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi with strengthening India's space, nuclear, military, and strategic capabilities. 'She played a major role in the creation of Bangladesh in 1971,' he added.
Rajiv Gandhi, Narasimha Rao, Manmohan Singh Highlighted
Recalling late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi's tenure, Kharge said he restored peace in the Northeast and Punjab, laid the foundation for the IT Revolution, and lowered the voting age from 21 years to 18 years. He also noted that defence capabilities built under Rajiv Gandhi's watch delivered results during the Kargil War.
Late Prime Minister Narasimha Rao was credited with opening India to the world through globalisation, while late Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh was praised for giving 'economic growth a human face' through landmark legislation including MGNREGA, the Right to Education Act, the Right to Information Act, the Forest Rights Act, and the Food Security Act.
Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi was also acknowledged by Kharge for her 'major contribution' in policy formulation and rights empowerment.
The Political Context
The address comes as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led NDA government marked the 80th Independence Day with Prime Minister Modi's address from the Red Fort. Kharge's remarks are part of a broader Congress strategy to reclaim its historical narrative ahead of upcoming state elections, contrasting its legacy of institution-building with what the party describes as the current government's preference for symbolic renaming over substantive policy. Notably, Kharge's '90 per cent' claim is a political assertion and does not cite independent data.
With the opposition seeking to consolidate its identity around economic rights and social welfare, Kharge's Independence Day speech signals that the Congress intends to fight the next electoral cycle on the terrain of legacy and delivery — not just criticism of the ruling dispensation.
Point of View
Not an auditable statistic — and the BJP will say so loudly. But the underlying political logic is sound: Congress is attempting to own the institutional inheritance of post-Independence India at a moment when the ruling party is aggressively rebranding that very inheritance. The sharper question the speech leaves unanswered is why, if the Congress legacy is so foundational, the party has struggled electorally for over a decade. Reclaiming a historical narrative is not the same as presenting a forward-looking programme — and voters in 2025 may want both.
NationPress
15 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Mallikarjun Kharge say on Independence Day 2025?
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, speaking at Indira Bhawan in New Delhi on 15 August 2025, claimed that 90 per cent of India's developmental progress was delivered by Congress-led governments. He accused the NDA government of focusing on renaming rather than improving citizens' economic conditions.
Which Congress leaders did Kharge credit for India's development?
Kharge credited Jawaharlal Nehru with building IITs, IIMs, and public sector units; Lal Bahadur Shastri with the Green and White Revolutions; Indira Gandhi with nuclear and military strength; Rajiv Gandhi with the IT Revolution and lowering the voting age to 18; Narasimha Rao with economic liberalisation; and Dr. Manmohan Singh with MGNREGA, RTI, and the Food Security Act.
What was Kharge's criticism of the Modi government?
Kharge said the current government had not delivered people their rights and had focused on 'changing names' rather than transforming citizens' economic realities. He also remarked that the Red Fort address claimed credit for achievements that were, in his view, built by Congress governments.
What is the political significance of Kharge's Independence Day speech?
The speech is part of Congress's broader strategy to reclaim its historical and institutional legacy ahead of upcoming elections. By centering the narrative on economic rights and welfare delivery, the party is seeking to contrast its record with what it characterises as symbolic governance by the NDA.
Did Kharge mention Sonia Gandhi in his address?
Yes, Kharge acknowledged Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi, stating she made a 'major contribution' by working with dedication to formulate policies and empower citizens with their rights.
