jairam-ramesh-slams-pm-modi-for-avoiding-freewheeling-interviews

Congress MP Jairam Ramesh on Sunday, voiced serious concerns about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s consistent avoidance of free-wheeling press conferences over the past 11 years. Ramesh questioned the Prime Minister’s transparency and accountability, stressing that open interactions with the media are a vital aspect of a functioning democracy.

 

In an interview with national media, Ramesh criticised the highly curated nature of Modi’s public engagements with the media. “The only issue is why for 11 years Prime Minister Modi has not held a free-wheeling press conference where he has taken questions from the media,” Ramesh remarked. He noted that although the Prime Minister gave numerous interviews during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, they appeared to be staged. “He had a large number of interviews during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, but the producer, director, music director, scriptwriter, main actor, and cameraman were all PM Narendra Modi,” he said, indicating that the interviews lacked genuine spontaneity.

#WATCH | Delhi: On the Election Commission of India's (ECI) reply to Lok Sabha LoP and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi's tweet on Maharashtra and Bihar elections, Congress MP Jairam Ramesh says "The Congress party in particular Rahul Gandhi has been raising questions on the way the… pic.twitter.com/XZCURStH45

— ANI (@ANI) June 8, 2025

 

Ramesh also pointed out the Prime Minister’s continued absence from all-party meetings and his failure to answer questions posed by the opposition in Parliament. According to the Congress leader, Modi’s conduct starkly contrasts with that of previous prime ministers, who often held unscripted press conferences and willingly addressed challenging questions from the media and political opponents.

 

“This is a fundamental tenet of democracy,” Ramesh stated. “The Prime Minister or President talks to the media and takes questions from the media. This Prime Minister does not answer questions from the opposition, give answers in Parliament, or attend all-party meetings.”

 

The Congress MP further criticised Modi for his silence in the face of significant international and defence-related developments. He referenced multiple claims made by former U.S. President Donald Trump about brokering peace between India and Pakistan. “President Trump is making claims after claims, 12 claims in 20 days. The Prime Minister is quiet,” Ramesh said. He also mentioned recent remarks by India’s Chief of Defence Staff in Singapore and questioned why Modi had not responded publicly. “Where is the accountability?” he asked.

#WATCH | Delhi: Congress MP Jairam Ramesh says "The only issue is why for 11 years Prime Minister Modi has not held a free-wheeling press conference where he has taken questions from the media. He had a large number of interviews during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, but the… pic.twitter.com/ZKBZXEOtWk

— ANI (@ANI) June 8, 2025

 

Ramesh urged the Prime Minister to demonstrate his commitment to democratic principles by participating in an unscripted media interaction. “If he believes that the media is an important instrument of our democracy, then why doesn’t he take a freewheeling interview?... You have been there for 11 years. There is no country in the world where a Prime Minister or President does not face the media. Each and every predecessor of PM Modi has had media interactions... Take spontaneous questions from the media. Let the media ask questions fearlessly and you answer... That is when accountability will be seen,” he asserted.

 

Also Read: Jairam Ramesh slams PM's silence on Trump's remarks

 

Continuing his critique, Ramesh accused Modi of avoiding real debates in Parliament. “Prime Minister ignores Parliament. Whenever we (opposition) ask questions, he says Jawaharlal Nehru is responsible. Any achievement – Narendra Modi. Any question we ask – Jawaharlal Nehru,” he said. According to Ramesh, Modi rarely engages with current policy issues in Parliament and instead focuses on blaming historical Congress leaders. “He doesn’t respond in Parliament; he gives election speeches. He speaks once a year in Parliament, during the motion of thanks. His target is Mr. Nehru, Congress, and not the questions of today – not questions on the economy, foreign policy, neighbourhood policy,” Ramesh noted.

 

He also brought up the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam and questioned the government’s willingness to hold discussions on national security. “We want a special session of Parliament... There was no announcement for it. Monsoon session will start; will they allow discussion on security challenges? Pahalgam attack terrorists have still not been brought to justice...” he said.

 

In a related issue, Ramesh raised concerns about the fairness and integrity of India’s electoral process, especially in light of recent remarks by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. He pointed to Gandhi’s comments regarding the 2024 Maharashtra assembly elections, where the Congress MP alleged large-scale rigging.

 

Also Read: 'Pahalgam terrorists still free,' Cong tells PM before J&K visit

 

Ramesh elaborated, “The Congress party, in particular Rahul Gandhi, has been raising questions on the way the election process has been conducted. He’s been raising questions on the fairness of the electoral roll. He made a very simple demand to make these electoral rolls available for various elections in a machine-readable digital format. What’s political about that demand? Our demands are very straightforward. There is a serious doubt about the integrity of the electoral process—not just on the EVM but also on the process from the electoral roll onwards.”

 

He sharply criticised the perceived alignment between the ruling party and the Election Commission. “Why is JP Nadda responding on behalf of the Election Commission? Why is the communication of the Election Commission through JP Nadda? Be independent, uphold the Constitution, be transparent and don’t speak through JP Nadda,” he demanded.

 

These comments followed Rahul Gandhi’s post on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday, where the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha alleged that the Maharashtra assembly elections held in November 2024 were "rigged" and warned that similar tactics could be used in the upcoming Bihar assembly elections. Gandhi shared an article he authored, detailing how he believed democracy had been undermined in Maharashtra.

 

“Maharashtra assembly elections in 2024 were a blueprint for rigging democracy. My article shows how this happened, step by step,” Gandhi wrote. He outlined a five-step process that he claimed was used to manipulate the elections. According to him, it began with rigging the panel that appoints the Election Commission, followed by inflating the electoral roll with fake voters. The process, he claimed, also involved inflating voter turnout figures, directing bogus voting precisely in BJP-targeted constituencies, and ultimately covering up the manipulation.

 

As debates over democratic accountability, press freedom, and electoral transparency intensify, the opposition continues to mount pressure on the government to address these concerns openly and honestly.

 

Also Read: Cong's jibe at PM on 'economy status' : Will he update Carney..?