says millennials, Gen Z have distanced themselves
Pointing to the India AI Impact Summit, the Prime Minister says country has moved from being a consumer of technology to a global creator and standard-setter
28 February, 2026 – New Delhi : Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a sharp attack on the Congress, accusing it of practicing “blind opposition” and reducing itself to what he described as a “toolkit” that resists every national achievement without offering an alternative vision.
Addressing the Rising Bharat Summit here on Friday, the Prime Minister said that in a democracy, the role of the Opposition should be to provide constructive criticism and a credible alternative, not habitual resistance.
“Whatever good happens for the country, whatever auspicious occurs, Congress only knows how to oppose,” he said, alleging that the party has consistently objected to major national initiatives.
PM Modi also claimed that younger generations — millennials and now Gen Z — have increasingly distanced themselves from the Congress, which he described as being controlled by a “single family”.
Citing several examples to support his claim, Modi referred to the construction of the new Parliament building, the installation of the Ashoka lions atop Parliament, the redevelopment of Kartavya Path and key national security actions such as the surgical strikes and the Balakot air strike.
He also pointed to landmark legislative and policy decisions — including the abrogation of Article 370, the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), the Women’s Reservation Bill, the law banning triple talaq, the launch of UPI, the Swachh Bharat Mission and India’s indigenous COVID-19 vaccine — alleging that “Congress opposed each of them”.
Referring to the party’s electoral performance, Modi said its decline began after its 1984 victory, when it secured 39 per cent of the vote and more than 400 seats in the Lok Sabha.
He asserted that the party’s vote share has steadily declined since then and that today it remains strong in only a handful of states.
Defending his government’s vision of making India a developed nation by 2047, Modi criticised what he described as “short-term thinking” among detractors who question the relevance of setting long-range national goals.
Highlighting economic priorities, the Prime Minister presented figures to underline the need for self-reliance.
He said India spends more than Rs 6 lakh crore annually on freight through foreign ships, around Rs 2.25 lakh crore on fertiliser imports, and approximately Rs 11 lakh crore on petroleum imports.
“Every year, trillions of rupees are flowing out of the country,” he said, arguing that earlier investments in self-reliance could have strengthened infrastructure, research, industry, farmers and youth.
PM Modi said the government is working to reverse this trend by strengthening domestic shipping and port infrastructure, expanding fertiliser production and promoting nano-urea, and reducing petroleum dependence through ethanol blending, the Green Hydrogen Mission, solar energy and electric mobility.
Reiterating his central message, the Prime Minister said opposition in a democracy must go beyond resistance and contribute constructively to national progress.
Pointing to the recently concluded India AI Impact Summit in the national capital, he said India has moved from being a consumer of technology to a global creator and standard-setter. The summit, attended by representatives from over 100 countries, reflected the country’s key role in shaping the artificial intelligence era, he added, citing India’s expanding startup ecosystem, investments in data centres and energy reforms, including in the nuclear power sector.
The Tribune