![\"Congress:](\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/thumb\/msid-130363736,imgsize-40722,width-400,height-225,resizemode-4\/130363736.jpg\" "\\"Congress")
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nNEW DELHI: Hitting back at PM Modi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said a \u201cdesperate and frustrated PM, with nothing meaningful to show for the last 12 years, turned an official address to the nation into a political speech full of mudslinging and outright lies\u201d. \u201cThe model code of conduct is in place and it was very clear how PM Modi misused official machinery to attack his opponents. This is a travesty of democracy and the Constitution of India,\u201d Kharge said in a post on X. Congress termed Modi\u2019s speech \u201ca distress address rather than a national address\u201d, claiming he was \u201cunhinged\u201d after the defeat of the bill. ICC spokesman Jairam Ramesh said Modi should have apologised for \u201chis shameless, deceitful attempts to push through a devious delimitation proposal in the name of women. His \u2018niyat\u2019 (intent) is anything but saaf (clean). It is poisonous\u201d. Ramesh said PM Narendra Modi should answer why the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam passed in Sept 2023 was notified late on the night April 16, after a delay of 30 months.\u201cHis talking of mahila samman is sheer hypocrisy given the way he has conducted himself throughout his life. What the PM attempted in the Lok Sabha yesterday \u2014 a weakening of our democracy and our federalism \u2014 was exactly the sort of attack on the Constitution that was anticipated when the PM called for \u2018400 paar\u2019 in the run-up to the 2024 LS elections,\u201d Ramesh said. The Congress spokesman said the Prime Minister\u2019s \u201cattempts to invoke the legacy of the Constitutionmakers only induce a revulsion at his dishonesty\u201d. He also rubbished the PM Modi\u2019s claims that Congress had opposed the Jan Dhan-Aadhar-Mobile and GST, arguing that both policies are \u201centirely Congress creations\u201d. \u201cThe PM ended his speech by saying there was a \u2018waqt ka intezaar\u2019 for women\u2019s reservation. There is no need for a \u2018muhurat\u2019 to give India\u2019s women their due. Congress challenges the PM to move a bill in the Parliament tomorrow to implement women\u2019s reservation within the existing set-up of the Lok Sabha,\u201d Ramesh said.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n