Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla on Monday sharply criticised Congress leader Udit Raj and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, accusing them of making statements that “undermine India’s sovereignty” and “insult the wisdom of the people.”
Poonawalla said Akhilesh Yadav made “deplorable comments” against the constitutional position and the Prime Minister, while Udit Raj had gone a step further by claiming that India would “break and become enslaved” if the BJP were allowed to govern.
Accusing the Opposition of crossing all limits in political rivalry, Poonawalla said, “They are the same people who said we are fighting against the Indian state. They question our Indian Army, demand proofs on operations like Sindoor, surgical strikes, Balakot airstrikes, and attempt to break the morale of our forces.”
The BJP leader further alleged that some Opposition figures speak against India on international platforms, portraying the country as undemocratic and even seeking foreign intervention. “They challenge the country’s sovereignty abroad and demand intervention into India. Now, see how these people are insulting the janta, because the janta ultimately elects the BJP or the Prime Minister,” he said.
Poonawalla added that such remarks reveal the mindset of ‘naamdari parties’ that cannot tolerate being out of power. “Just because they are out of power, they will personally abuse the Prime Minister, insult the constitutional position, and now they also want India to break up,” he said.
Questioning Udit Raj’s recent statement, Poonawalla asserted that it was unacceptable for any leader to claim that India would be destroyed if the BJP came to power. “The PM has been elected by the people for the third time, so you are actually insulting the people,” he claimed.
Earlier, speaking to reporters in Lucknow on November 22, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav took a sharp jab at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, questioning the feasibility of the government’s Viksit Bharat 2047 vision. Yadav asked, “The BJP is talking about 2047. They don’t even read their own manifesto… Why 2047? Should they add another 100 years? Will you survive till 2047?”—an apparent dig at the Prime Minister’s long-term development plan for India.
The Viksit Bharat 2047 initiative, promoted by the Modi government, aims to transform India into a fully developed nation by the 100th anniversary of independence. The plan focuses on major pillars such as economic growth, social development, sustainability, innovation, and stronger governance frameworks.
