PM Modi Will Hoist National Flag At His Home In 2024: Kharge

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, who skipped Independence Day celebration at Red Fort, slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for indicating that the BJP will come to power in 2024.

"Every person says that they come back again and again after winning. But making you win or lose is in the hands of people, in the hands of voters. To say in 2023, 'I will hoist the flag once again in 2024' is arrogance. If he keeps making comments on Opposition even on Independence Day, how will he build the nation?" he questioned.

A chair reserved for Kharge, who is also the leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, was seen empty during the Independence Day function at the Red Fort.

He, however, unfurled the national flag at his residence and later at the Congress headquarters where the Independence Day function was also attended by Rahul Gandhi and other Congress leaders.

The senior Congress leader said, "He will hoist the National Flag once again next year, he will do that at his home," Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge reacts to PM Modi's "The next 15th August, from this Red Fort, I will present before you the achievements of the country"

In his address from the Red Fort, Prime Minister Narendra Modi exuded confidence that he will address the nation from the Red Fort next year to list out the progress on the promises he had made to the people.

"The promise for change brought me here, my performance brought me here once again. The coming five years are of unprecedented development and a golden moment to realise the dream of India as a developed nation by 2047," the Prime Minister said in his speech from the ramparts of Red Fort.

"Next year, on August 15 from this same Red Fort I will list out the progress achieved by the nation and sing paeans to your strength, your resolve and your success with greater confidence," the PM said in his last Independence Day address before the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

On asking the reason why he skipped the Independence Day celebration at Red Fort, Kharge said, "Firstly, I have some eye-related problems. Secondly, I had to hoist the Tricolour at my residence at 9.20 am as per protocols. Then I had to come to the Congress office and hoist the Tricolour here too. So, I could not have reached here. The security is so tight that they don't let anyone else leave before the PM leaves...I thought that I will not be able to reach here on time...I thought it better to not go there to security situation and lack of time."