Union Home Minister Amit Shah criticised Rahul Gandhi over his remarks at the Bharat Summit 2026 in Hyderabad, accusing the Congress leader of damaging India’s international image. Shah contrasted the Modi government’s achievements with the previous UPA administration.
Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah on Sunday launched a sharp attack on Congress leader and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of making anti-India statements at an international conference and attempting to damage the country’s reputation before the global community.
Speaking at the Bhoomi Pujan ceremony of the NHEC Multi-State Cooperative Society and the launch of Bharat Taxi in Pune, Maharashtra, Shah criticised Rahul Gandhi over his participation in the Bharat Summit 2026, held in Hyderabad. He alleged that the Congress had invited Left-wing propagandists from different parts of the world and provided a platform for statements that, according to him, portrayed India negatively.
Shah claimed that Rahul Gandhi’s remarks at the international gathering reflected frustration over the Congress party’s repeated electoral defeats. He argued that political leaders should focus on connecting with people at the grassroots level instead of travelling abroad and criticising India’s development journey before international audiences.
“Rahul Gandhi is venting his frustration over continuous electoral defeats by making anti-India statements at international conferences,” Shah said, reiterating his criticism of the Congress leader.
The Union Home Minister also drew comparisons between the previous Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government and the Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government. He alleged that during the Congress’s decade in power, scams worth approximately Rs 12 lakh crore took place.
In contrast, Shah claimed that no corruption allegation had been levelled against Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the past 12 years of his leadership. He presented this as evidence of the NDA government’s commitment to transparent administration and accountable governance.
Highlighting the achievements of the Modi government, Shah referred to developments across several sectors, including agriculture, industry, science and technology, infrastructure and education. He mentioned India’s achievement of landing near the Moon’s South Pole, the expansion of the country’s start-up ecosystem and efforts to revive and modernise the railway network.
He also highlighted the expansion of airports from 76 to 150, describing the growth of India’s aviation infrastructure as a significant achievement. Additionally, he referred to the development of the country’s metro network, the implementation of the National Education Policy and the establishment of the Ministry of Cooperation.
Taking his criticism further, Shah warned Congress workers that continuing to follow Rahul Gandhi’s approach of allegedly criticising India’s development story on international platforms could keep the party out of power for another 30 years.
He questioned whether any political party, regardless of whether it was in government or opposition, should use an international summit to allegedly undermine India’s image and that of its Prime Minister.
Shah urged Rahul Gandhi to visit villages, interact directly with ordinary citizens and understand their concerns instead of focusing on international engagements. He also appealed to voters to respond to what he described as attempts to undermine India’s achievements in the upcoming elections.
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Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Minister of State for Cooperation and Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol, Rajya Sabha MP Sunetra Pawar and several other senior leaders attended the programme.
Shah’s remarks have added another dimension to the ongoing political confrontation between the BJP and Congress, with India’s development record, international image and opposition politics emerging as key points of debate.
