‘2025 Marked By Loot, Corruption, Misgovernance’
FILE PHOTO: Migrant labourers sit on a handcart as they wait for work at a wholesale market (Representative Image)
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge launched a blistering year-end critique of the BJP-led Union government on Tuesday, labeling 2025 as another year of “loot, corruption and misgovernance” as the ruling party marked 11 years in power. In a detailed 14-point post on X, Kharge urged citizens to reflect on the year’s governance, accusing the Modi administration of eroding democratic rights, exacerbating economic inequality, and failing on social justice.
On rights and democracy, Kharge alleged systematic undermining of entitlements. He claimed the scrapping of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) had stripped crores of poor households of their “right to work.” Additionally, the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, conducted without proper preparation or Booth Level Officer (BLO) training, deprived crores of voters of their “right to vote,” he asserted.
Turning to the economy, Kharge highlighted deepening inequality, unemployment, and currency woes. “The top 1 per cent now controls around 40 per cent of India’s wealth,” he claimed, accusing the government of failing to safeguard jobs and livelihoods. Youth unemployment remains at “alarming levels,” with paper leak rackets persisting unchecked. The rupee has weakened despite the Reserve Bank of India selling USD 32 billion to stabilize it, he added.
On governance, security, and foreign policy, Kharge pointed to repeated failures. He noted that armed forces delivered a “befitting reply” after the Pahalgam terror attack but alleged BJP ministers made “shameful remarks” about an Army officer. He flagged claims of foreign “mediation” by the US and China, criticizing the Prime Minister’s silence. Kharge accused the Centre of failing in Manipur and imposing President’s Rule to “cover up” administrative collapse.
Kharge further alleged no meaningful relief from inflation, dismissing GST cuts as “mere number games.” He accused the government of overseeing a rise in atrocities against Dalits, Adivasis, OBCs, and minorities. Environmental and public safety issues were also spotlighted, including severe air pollution in north India, attempts to open the Aravallis to mining, ecological damage in Nicobar, Hasdeo, and Mumbai’s mangroves, and tragedies like stampedes and toxic cough syrup deaths.
“Overall, even in 2025, BJP’s loot, corruption and misgovernance dominated the lives of the people,” Kharge concluded, calling for accountability.
This scathing indictment underscores the Opposition’s frustration with the government’s record. Kharge’s post, shared on the year’s final day, aims to galvanize public opinion ahead of elections, highlighting perceived failures in democracy, economy, and welfare. By invoking specific issues like MGNREGA and electoral rolls, he seeks to resonate with marginalized communities. The critique also touches on national security lapses and environmental neglect, painting a picture of systemic dysfunction.
Political analysts note that such broadsides are common in India’s polarized landscape, but Kharge’s detailed points could fuel debates. The government’s response, if any, may defend its policies, citing achievements in infrastructure and welfare schemes. As 2025 ends, Kharge’s words echo calls for change, urging voters to evaluate the ruling party’s tenure critically.
