‘Propaganda Has Replaced Performance’: Congress Releases 12-Year Report Card on Modi Govt

With the Modi government 3.0 completing two years, the Congress on Tuesday sought to contrast its promises with its performance, releasing a "promise versus reality" document that claimed the past 12 years have been defined by big-ticket announcements and rhetoric but have fallen short of delivering substantive benefits to the public.

Arguing that propaganda has replaced performance, the Congress on Tuesday released a 12-year “accountability report” on the Modi government's major failures. It noted that the Centre's major promises on economic growth, employment generation, agriculture, governance and social welfare had failed to translate into tangible benefits for citizens.

Addressing a press conference at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) headquarters, AICC Research Department Chairman Prof. Rajeev Gowda and Communication Department Research & Monitoring In-charge Amitabh Dubey accused the government of prioritising “publicity over performance”.

Over the last 12 years, promises have been accompanied by big announcements, grand statements, and headlines, he said.

"But the reality is that none of those headlines actually translate into anything that is meaningfully transforming the lives of the people," the Congress leader said.

They also criticised the Centre’s decision relating to the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, saying that the reduction in the number of subsidised LPG cylinders available to beneficiaries was a setback for women and households dependent on the scheme.

"Last year, the 12 cylinders were cut to 9. Today, on the anniversary of his swearing-in as Prime Minister for the third time, he has chosen to strike this blow against the women and families of India," Gowda said.

A 12-Year ‘Reality Check’

Gowda questioned the government’s economic claims, particularly assertions that India was on course to become the world’s third-largest economy. He pointed out that the country had slipped from fourth to sixth place in global economic rankings due to the depreciation of the rupee against the US dollar. He argued that currency weakness reflected shortcomings in economic management and adversely affected investor confidence.

He said that foreign investors were withdrawing funds from Indian markets and that substantial capital outflows had been recorded in recent months. “The government continues to make grand announcements, but the weakening rupee and investor exits indicate deeper concerns about economic management,” he said.

The Congress leader said rising prices of essential commodities had increased the financial burden on households. Referring to LPG cylinders, petrol, diesel, milk and pulses, he said that prices had risen sharply during the BJP-led government’s tenure while household incomes had not increased proportionately.

The Economy Behind the Headlines

Noting that the Modi government promised to transform Bharat into a global centre for employment generation but the reality is that four out of ten graduates remain unemployed. He remarked that unemployment among educated youth remained a serious concern and graduates faced increasing difficulty in securing stable employment.

"The urban youth unemployment rate is 18.4 per cent, and only 7 per cent of unemployed graduates secure a permanent salaried job within a year," he said.

On the government's promise of giving equal opportunities for all, Gowda said, "We were ranked 108th in the Global Gender Gap Index. Now, we have fallen to 131st in the world. So, we are failing one half of our population by not creating opportunities for women to enter the workforce."

Noting that micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), traditionally considered major generators of employment, Gowda said that in the last financial year, 40,000 MSMEs shut down. He linked the sector’s difficulties to policy decisions such as demonetisation and pointed out that thousands of MSMEs had shut down in recent years.

In his remarks at the presser, Dubey recalled that Modi had said people will get relief from inflation, but the "truth is that from 2014 until now, the price of LPG has increased by 123 per cent".

"The price of petrol has risen by 44 per cent and diesel by 73 per cent. The price of milk has gone up by 71 per cent and pulses by 84 per cent," he said.

The government claimed that India is going to be self-reliant in fertilizer production, but the truth is that LNG production has decreased by 25 per cent and urea production has declined significantly, he said.

"Narendra Modi had claimed that India would become the world's third largest economy and reach a USD 5 trillion economy by 2024. But the reality today is that the economy has fallen below USD 4 trillion, and India has slipped to the sixth largest economy," Dubey said.

Jobs Promise, Employment Crisis

On agriculture, he recalled the government’s earlier commitment to double farmers’ incomes and noted that the target remained unfulfilled. He observed that farmers continued to face economic distress and cited farm-related suicides as evidence of the sector’s ongoing challenges.

The Congress leader pointed out that the rupee is continuously falling against the dollar, which is directly impacting India's economy and creating a deep economic crisis.

"Recently, the GDP growth rate was reported at 7.7 per cent, but the country is still consistently missing its GDP targets. The reason is that foreign investors are leaving. Even India's own industrialists are investing abroad instead of in the country. This is the impact of the Modi government's policies on the country's economy," Dubey said.

Farmers, Inflation and Everyday Costs

He said that the Modi government had claimed it would strengthen infrastructure, but the truth is that today people in the country are suffering from scorching heat and pollution because this government is continuously destroying forests.

"Narendra Modi used to talk about smart cities, but today smart cities are nowhere to be seen. The Modi government makes a lot of publicity about the railways, but the truth is that trains are severely overcrowded, run late, and safety in the railways is a major issue,” he said.

According to NCRB data, 22,413 people have died on railway tracks. In 2024-25, there have been 31 major rail accidents, and the Kavach system has been implemented on only 2 per cent of the tracks, Dubey pointed out.

Democracy and Institutions Under Question

Gowda criticised the government’s foreign policy approach, questioning the outcomes of the Prime Minister’s international engagements. He noted that India had become increasingly vulnerable to external pressures in matters relating to trade, energy security and strategic partnerships.

He accused the government of weakening democratic institutions, particularly the electoral process.

Gowda claimed that 6.5 crore voters have been deleted across the country. "We have a situation where our democracy is deeply flawed, and this is a real tragedy for every citizen of India," he said.

He criticised changes in the appointment process of Election Commission members and remarked that voter deletions in several states had raised concerns about electoral fairness.

From Paper Leaks to Manipur

The Congress leader also targeted the government over examination paper leaks, including controversies surrounding national-level entrance examinations. He said that repeated paper leaks and re-examinations had undermined the future prospects of students and eroded confidence in the education system.

"The Modi government had claimed that the education system would be modernized, whereas the truth is that paper leaks are happening continuously. The CBSE's OSM system has tampered with students' futures, and there has been foul play in the tendering process as well. So far, 89 paper leaks have occurred and 48 re-exams have been conducted," he said.

"Our demand is that Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan should immediately resign from his post," Gowda said.

Referring to ethnic violence in Manipur, he alleged that the government had not acted with sufficient urgency to restore peace and normalcy. He said thousands of people remained displaced and questioned the effectiveness of the Centre’s response to the crisis.