Prime Minister Narendra Modi was criticized by the Congress on Sunday for his podcast with computer scientist Lex Fridman, claiming that he had sought solace from a US podcaster rather than a press conference.
In response to the prime minister’s comments that “criticism is the soul of democracy” during the podcast, Congress general secretary for communications Jairam Ramesh blasted him, accusing him of “demolishing” the institutions that were supposed to hold his government responsible and of pursuing critics “with a vengeance.”
“He who is afraid of facing the media in a press conference has found comfort in a foreign podcaster anchored in the rightwing ecosystem,” Ramesh wrote on X. The Congress leader added: “And he has the gall to say that “criticism is the soul of democracy” when he has systematically gutted every institution that is to hold his Government accountable and gone after critics with a vengeance that no one in recent history has matched! There is no limit to Hypo(d)crisy.”
Among other topics, PM Modi talked extensively about his early years, the impact of Swami Vivekananda and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), and geopolitics in an interview with American computer scientist and podcaster Lex Fridman.
According to Modi, he has emphasized his ties with US President Donald Trump and asked Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to engage in peace talks. He highlighted their shared dedication to putting their countries’ interests first by drawing comparisons between Trump’s “America First” philosophy and his own “India First” strategy.
“I have observed President Trump both during his first term and now in his second run. This time, he seems far more prepared than before. He has a clear roadmap in his mind with well-defined steps, each one designed to lead him toward his goals,” he said. Modi claimed to be grateful that the RSS, the Bharatiya Janata Party’s spiritual fulcrum, had given him his life’s purpose and the principles of selfless devotion.
