15 August,2026 05:43 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Maharashtra Congress chief Harshwardhan Sapkal alleged that the PM Modi’s I-Day speeches over the past 12 years had largely consisted of announcements rather than a clear account of achievements. File Pic
Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal on Saturday questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Independence Day speech, saying it lacked substance and that the government should first give an account of the promises made and delivered over the past 12 years, reported the PTI.
PM Modi addressed the nation from the Red Fort on Saturday morning as India marked its 80th Independence Day.
Reacting to the Prime Minister's speech, Sapkal questioned whether the government had acted on the promises made in Modi's earlier Independence Day addresses.
He said the government should compare what was announced in previous speeches with what had actually been implemented.
Sapkal alleged that the Prime Minister's Independence Day speeches over the past 12 years had largely consisted of announcements rather than a clear account of achievements, as per the PTI.
Sapkal also criticised the BJP over its criticism of the Congress in connection with a viral video that allegedly showed the party insulting Vande Mataram.
He said the video had no connection with the national song.
Sapkal referred to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's age and difficulty in standing and walking, saying a chair should have been arranged for him at the venue, according to the PTI.
He claimed that former Congress president Sonia Gandhi was seen giving instructions for a chair to be arranged.
Sapkal accused the BJP of using the controversy to divert attention from what he described as a lack of achievements by the government.
He defended the Congress's record on Vande Mataram, saying the national song had always been an important part of the party's programmes.
He said Congress sessions begin with Vande Mataram and argued that the BJP and organisations associated with it should not lecture the Congress on the national song, as per the PTI.
The Maharashtra Congress chief also defended Rahul Gandhi's recent comments on the government's foreign policy.
Sapkal said the BJP should respond to Gandhi's criticism with facts instead of anger.
He said the government should explain its foreign policy and highlight its achievements rather than repeatedly referring to Rahul Gandhi in political debates.
Sapkal urged the BJP to focus on its own record of governance and explain what it had delivered during its time in power.
(with PTI inputs)
