Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge clashed over welfare schemes, with Modi calling Congress’s promises unrealistic and Kharge responding that Modi’s ‘guarantee’ was a ‘cruel joke.’ The exchange began after Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar recently hinted at revisiting the 'Shakti' scheme, which offers free bus rides to all women in the state. Following this, Kharge urged Congress leaders in Karnataka to make only financially feasible promises. As the issue gained national attention, the PM weighed in.

"The Congress party is realising the hard way that making unreal promises is easy but implementing them properly is tough or impossible. Campaign after campaign they promise things to the people, which they also know they will never be able to deliver. Now, they stand badly exposed in front of the people!" said PM Modi on November 1.

He further claimed that the developmental progress in Congress-ruled states is deteriorating.

"Check any state where the Congress has Governments today - Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka and Telangana - the developmental trajectory and fiscal health is turning from bad to worse. Their so-called Guarantees lie unfulfilled, which is a terrible deceit upon the people of these states. The victims of such politics are the poor, youngsters, farmers and women, who are not only denied the benefits of these promises but also see their existing schemes diluted," PM Modi added.

In Karnataka, he said, Congress is more focused on intra-party politics and exploitation rather than delivering development.

"Not only that, they are also going to roll back existing schemes. In Himachal Pradesh, salaries of government workers are not paid on time. In Telangana, farmers are waiting for the waiver they were promised. Previously, in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, they promised certain allowances which were never implemented for five years. There are numerous such examples of how Congress works," he said.

In response, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge called 'Modi Ki Guarantee' "a cruel joke" on 140 crore Indians.

Kharge wrote: “Narendra Modi ji, Lies, Deceit, Fakery, Loot & Publicity are the 5 adjectives which best describe your Govt! Your drumbeating regarding a 100-day plan was a cheap PR stunt! On May 16, 2024, you had also claimed that you took inputs from more than 20 lakh people for the road map for 2047. RTI filed in PMO declined to put forth details, exposing your LIES!|

"The 'B' in BJP stands for Betrayal, while the 'J' stands for JUMLA!" the Congress President added.

He continued his attack on the Modi government, raising issues like unemployment and inflation.

Asking about the 2 crore jobs per year promised by the BJP, Kharge said: "Why is India's Unemployment Rate at a 45-year high? Why are stampedes witnessed wherever there are vacancies for a handful of jobs? Who is responsible for 70 paper leaks in 7 years? Who snatched 5 Lakh Govt jobs by selling stake in PSUs?"

On inflation, he questioned: "Why have the household savings plunged to a 50-year low? Why has the cost of a common thali increased by 52 per cent in just last year? TOP — Tomato Prices increased by 247 per cent, Potato by 180 per cent and Onion by 60 per cent? Who levied GST on essential food items such as Milk, Curd, Atta, and Dal? Who is penalising the Middle Class through LTCG by indulging in Tax Terrorism?"

Questioning the promise of 'Acche Din,' Kharge said: "Rupee is at an all-time low. Is it in the ICU or in Margdarshak Mandal? Your Govt has borrowed Rs 150 lakh+ crores in the past 10 years, amounting to a debt of Rs 1.5 lakh on every Indian. MSMEs have been destroyed through DeMO + Flawed GST".

"Economic Inequality is at a 100-year-high. Average Growth is below 6 per cent in this lost decade, while during UPA it was 8 per cent. Private Investment is at a 20-year low, while average growth in Manufacturing is just 3.1 per cent in the past decade, while it was 7.85 during Congress-UPA, flopping tall claims of 'Make in India'!”

Kharge also pointed to India's rankings in global indices, noting that India’s rank in the Global Hunger Index is 105 (2024), while it stands at 134 in the UN Human Development Index and 129 in the Global Gender Gap Index.

He questioned why the Centre gave a clean chit to China post-Galwan, laid out a "Red Carpet" for Chinese investments, and has "ruined" relations with neighboring countries.

"JUMLA of doubling Income of Farmers by 2022. Refusing Legal Guarantee for MSP. GST on 35 Farm articles. Turning permanent recruitment to Armed Forces to a temporary one through Agnipath! Modi ji, before finger-pointing, please note that - MODI KI GUARANTEE is a cruel joke on 140 Crore Indians!"