The Congress on Sunday (February 22, 2026) said that issues raised during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address in Meerut diverted attention from the real concerns of the public, including employment, inflation, farmers' income, education, and social justice.
State Congress spokesperson Abhimanyu Tyagi claimed that instead of presenting concrete policy measures on these issues, the Prime Minister's speech focused on levelling allegations against the Opposition.
Mr. Tyagi also alleged that Congress workers, farmer leaders, and members of the legal fraternity were placed under preventive detention by the police and were stopped from reaching the venue to meet the Prime Minister.
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He termed the action a violation of democratic rights and condemned it as "reprehensible". According to him, a delegation of lawyers from western Uttar Pradesh had sought permission to meet the Prime Minister to press their demand for a High Court Bench in the region, but the administration did not allow them to proceed.
