"Congress playing pivotal role as principal opposition party at Centre": Mallikarjun Kharge at CWC meeting 

Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], September 16 (ANI): As the CWC meeting began on Saturday in Telangana, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge in his opening remarks said that Congress has been playing a pivotal role as the principal opposition party at the Centre for the past nine-and-half years adding that the Modi Government has been a complete failure on all important fronts.
"Indian National Congress has been playing a pivotal role as the principal opposition party at the Centre for the past nine-and-half years with committed determination in redressing concerns and grievances of the common people. The country is at crossroads today facing many internal challenges. Modi Government has been a complete failure on all important fronts be it controlling inflation, unemployment, raging violence in Manipur, widening inequality and declining condition of farmers and labourers," Congress president said at the first meeting of CWC.
Congress President Kharge said that the entire nation is witnessing the tragic events that are unfolding in Manipur.
"Modi government allowed the fire of Manipur to reach Nuh in Haryana. These incidents tarnish the image of modern, progressive, and secular India," he said.
He further said that anti-people policies and anti-industrial reforms undertaken by the Narendra Modi-led BJP government were the main reasons for the deceleration of many PSUs in the country and the increase in the unemployment rate.
"Our economy is in grave danger today. Inflation and rise in prices of all essential commodities have adversely affected the lives of the poor and common people. To add to the sorrows, a young country like ours is facing the grave challenge of record unemployment. The inequality gap is continuously deepening.On top of this, the Modi government is handing over the prized PSUs of the country built since independence to a few crony-capitalist friends," he said.
Kharge also targeted the BJP-led Centre on national security issues and said that the government is acting sternly against China for encroaching on India's land which pose a danger to the country's security.
"On the national security front, the Government’s alleged negligence regarding China’s encroachments poses a critical danger to the country’s security. However, ignoring all these fundamental issues, Modi Government has this tendency to repeatedly deflect and divert attention from real issues with empty slogans. The slogans like “Atma-nirbhar Bharat”, “5 Trillion Economy”, “New India 2022”, “Amritkaal” and now, “3rd largest economy” are merely hollow words meant to distract the nation from the Government’s failures," he said.
He also claimed that the Centre attempts to stifle opposition in Parliament and curtail public scrutiny in the Parliament.
"We also strongly condemn the Government’s attempts to stifle opposition in Parliament and curtail public scrutiny in the Parliament. The forthcoming Special Session of Parliament raises concerns about the ruling party's intentions," he said. 
A Flag hoisting ceremony was also held before the Congress Working Committee meeting began.

The newly constituted Congress Working Committee (CWC) is holding its first meeting in poll-bound Telangana's Hyderabad on Saturday to formulate strategies for the upcoming Assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Mizoram. (ANI)