‘Super premium frequent flier’: Congress urges Modi to address Manipur crisis, Gujarat bridge collapse

The Congress on Thursday took a sharp dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi upon his return from a five-nation tour, urging him to address pressing domestic issues including the prolonged crisis in Manipur, the recent bridge collapse in Gujarat, and the lack of justice in the Pahalgam terror case.

Congress general secretary (communications) Jairam Ramesh mocked the PM’s frequent travels, calling him a “Super Premium Frequent Flier” and said Modi is "expected to be in the country for perhaps three weeks before jetting around again."

“Now that he is here,” Ramesh said, “he could visit Manipur, where people have been waiting for more than two years; review why the Pahalgam terrorists have not yet been brought to justice; and reflect on the infrastructure collapse in his home state, Gujarat.”

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His comments came a day after a portion of a four-decade-old bridge in Vadodara collapsed, killing at least 13 people, including two children, as vehicles plunged into the Mahisagar river.

Ramesh also said the Prime Minister should extend assistance to flood-ravaged Himachal Pradesh, reform the Goods and Services Tax (GST) to stimulate consumption, and take concrete steps to promote private investment beyond "favoured big business groups."

Calling for more inclusive governance, the Congress leader added that Modi “could also, for a change, chair an all-party meeting to finalise the agenda for the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament,” which begins on July 21.