Let's have minimum self-glorification: Cong slams PM podcast

New Delhi: The Congress on Monday took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his interaction with American podcaster Lex Fridman, saying that at a time when the country is facing grave challenges and the neighbourhood is volatile, there should be "minimum self-glorification and maximum governance."

In an extensive conversation with American podcaster Lex Fridman, Prime Minister Narendra Modi delved into various aspects of his life, leadership philosophy, and foreign policy approach.

"Almost a year ago, he said he was non-biological. Now he says that he believes in the 1+1 theory: 1 in Modi and the other 1 is divine," Congress general secretary, communications, Jairam Ramesh, said in a post on X.

"He is saying these things when the economy is facing grave challenges, our neighbourhood is volatile, and the world order is becoming unstable. There should be minimum self-glorification and maximum governance," he said.

In the podcast, Modi expressed gratitude towards the RSS for instilling patriotic values in him. He also lauded Mahatma Gandhi's legacy, highlighting the importance of his principles in shaping India's history. Additionally, Modi described himself as a peacemaker, revealing his efforts to encourage Russian and Ukrainian leaders to engage in negotiations.

In a post on Sunday night, Ramesh said there is no limit to Modi's "hypo(d)crisy," as he has not faced a press conference but has found comfort in a US podcaster.

He also hit out at the PM for saying "criticism is the soul of democracy" and accused him of "demolishing" every institution that is to hold his government accountable and having gone after critics "with a vengeance."

(inputs from PTI)