Rahul Gandhi solely responsible for Congress decline, says Acharya Pramod Krishnam
Synopsis
Acharya Pramod Krishnam, a spiritual guru and former Congress leader, has publicly blamed Rahul Gandhi for the Congress party's decline — and used PM Modi's Melody toffee gift to Italian PM Meloni as the backdrop for a pointed political jibe. His remarks also took in the Samajwadi Party, UP's university dress code, and the Bakrid qurbani controversy.
Key Takeaways
Acharya Pramod Krishnam declared Rahul Gandhi 'solely responsible for the downfall of the Congress' on Friday in Ghaziabad .
Krishnam quipped that PM Modi should gift Rahul Gandhi a packet of 'Melody' toffees — echoing Modi's gesture to Italian PM Giorgia Meloni in Rome .
He accused the Samajwadi Party of casteism and suggested it rename itself 'namazwadi party' over its claims of Muslim suppression in Uttar Pradesh .
Krishnam supported the UP government's move to mandate a uniform dress code in universities.
He made contentious remarks about AJUP Chief Humayun Kabir 's defence of Bakrid qurbani, comparing Kabir's stance to 'the language of Mughal King Babur.'
Spiritual guru and former Congress leader Acharya Pramod Krishnam on Friday declared that Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi is 'solely responsible for the downfall of the Congress,' delivering the remarks in Ghaziabad. The statement came as a sharp counter to Gandhi's recent criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Toffee Jibe and Rahul Gandhi's Remark
Gandhi had alleged that the country is grappling with economic distress, inflation, unemployment, and student unrest while the Prime Minister is 'busy making reels.' The Congress leader made this charge following PM Modi's gesture of gifting a packet of 'Melody' toffees to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni during his recent visit to Rome.
Krishnam turned the toffee moment into a pointed jibe. 'I would request PM Modi to gift a packet of Melody toffees to Rahul Gandhi as well,' he told reporters, dismissing Gandhi's economic critique as unserious.
Broadside Against Samajwadi Party
Krishnam also targeted the Samajwadi Party (SP) over its claim that Muslims in Uttar Pradesh are being 'suppressed.' He alleged the Akhilesh Yadav-led party has repeatedly resorted to casteism whenever it held power in the state.
'Samajwadi Party should rename itself as the namazwadi party,' Krishnam said. He added that SP leaders have 'attacked the Sanatan culture' and expressed the view that they have been unsettled by Trinamool Congress Chief Mamata Banerjee's recent electoral defeat in West Bengal. 'Nobody in Uttar Pradesh can say that they are being suppressed,' he asserted.
Krishnam further alleged that using 'inappropriate words' against PM Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath amounts to what he called 'goondaism' rather than secularism, warning that citizens would not tolerate it.
On UP University Dress Code
Krishnam welcomed the Uttar Pradesh government's move to mandate a uniform dress code in universities, saying an institution's dress code is 'a symbol of its prestige.'
Remarks on Bakrid and AJUP Chief
The former Congress leader also responded to Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP) Chief Humayun Kabir's statement on 'qurbani' — ritualistic animal sacrifice — ahead of the Bakrid festival. Kabir had reportedly warned the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in West Bengal that any attempt to prohibit qurbani would not be accepted by the Muslim community.
Krishnam's response was pointed: 'His name itself connects with the Mughals. Humayun Kabir is speaking the language of Mughal King Babur,' he alleged. 'Whoever speaks the language of the Muslim rulers should not have the right to stay in India,' he added — a statement critics are likely to find deeply contentious.
With assembly politics heating up across multiple states and the Congress-BJP rivalry intensifying, Krishnam's remarks underline the fractured landscape of voices within and around the grand old party.
Point of View
But the more significant pattern is how BJP-adjacent voices are increasingly using Rahul Gandhi's public critiques as a springboard rather than engaging the substance of his economic charges. The Bakrid remarks, meanwhile, cross into territory that conflates religious identity with national loyalty — a framing that courts controversy far beyond normal political point-scoring and deserves scrutiny independent of its political source.
NationPress
2 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Acharya Pramod Krishnam say about Rahul Gandhi?
Krishnam said Rahul Gandhi is 'solely responsible for the downfall of the Congress,' making the remark in Ghaziabad on Friday in response to Gandhi's criticism of PM Modi's 'reel-making' amid economic distress.
Why did Rahul Gandhi criticise PM Modi?
Rahul Gandhi alleged that India is facing economic distress, inflation, unemployment, and student unrest while PM Modi is 'busy making reels.' The remark followed Modi's gesture of gifting 'Melody' toffees to Italian PM Giorgia Meloni during his Rome visit.
What did Krishnam say about the Samajwadi Party?
Krishnam accused the Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party of casteism and of attacking Sanatan culture. He suggested the party rename itself 'namazwadi party' and said its leaders were rattled by Mamata Banerjee's recent poll defeat in West Bengal.
What is the controversy around Humayun Kabir and Bakrid?
AJUP Chief Humayun Kabir warned the BJP government in West Bengal against any move to prohibit qurbani on Bakrid, saying the Muslim community would not accept it. Krishnam responded by alleging Kabir was 'speaking the language of Mughal King Babur,' remarks critics are likely to find highly contentious.
What is Krishnam's position on the UP university dress code?
Krishnam welcomed the Uttar Pradesh government's announcement mandating a uniform dress code in universities, saying such codes are 'a symbol of an institution's prestige.'
