Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal speaks in the Lok Sabha during the budget session of Parliament in Delhi on Monday, February 2, 2026. | Photo credit: Sansad TV
Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Monday (February 2, 2026) launched a scathing attack on the Congress, accusing its past governments of corruption and misgovernance and calling on the opposition party to work with the ruling alliance to work towards the goal of a developed India by 2047.
Mr Sonowal began a motion of thanks to President Droupadi Murma for her speech in the joint session of the Lok Sabha, saying the Congress should introspect and back down from what he described as persistent criticism of the Narendra Modi-led government.
The MP for Dibrugarh alleged that the Congress had been “rejected” by the people of the Northeast due to its alleged failure to address the region’s aspirations during its years in power.
Referring to the earlier Congress-led governments, Mr. Sonowal alleged that they were marred by major scams and policy paralysis. He cited cases including those relating to 2G spectrum and coal block allocation and the Commonwealth Games.
In contrast, he said, the country had witnessed “transparent and corruption-free governance” since 2014 under Mr. Modi’s leadership.
“The President’s speech did what the Congress never did – he spoke frankly about the past, decisively about the present and confidently about the future. It marks India’s definitive departure from decades of misrule, corruption and calculated neglect,” the Union minister said.
The minister described Ms Murmu’s speech to Parliament as “remarkable” and highlighted her historic stance.
“The Honorable President’s speech delivered by India’s first Adivasi President, second mahila (woman) President and the youngest President of the nation with the largest youth population in the world is not an accident but a conscious reflection of a great nation on the move,” said Mr. Sonowal, emphasizing his own tribal identity.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief said the President’s speech outlined the government’s social welfare initiatives aimed at inclusive growth, social justice and equitable development.
Mr Sonowal argued that the country suffered from low confidence during the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) years, but since 2014 has undergone a significant socio-economic transformation. India has become the world’s fourth largest economy in the last 11 years, he said, attributing it to what he called the prime minister’s political will and visionary leadership.
Mr. Sonowal also referred to the 1962 Chinese aggression and claimed that the Northeast was left vulnerable and neglected during the Congress era.
Development projects in the region earlier came only after persistent protests, while Mr. Modi not only prioritized the Northeast through sustained political attention and investment, but referred to the region as the sacred “Ashtalakshmi”.
Published – 02 Feb 2026 23:05 IST