No limit to 'hypo(d)crisy': Congress slams PM Modi over his podcast

In a play on words, the Congress lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, saying there is no limit to his "hypo(d)crisy" as he has not faced a press conference but has found comfort in a US podcaster.

In an interaction lasting over three hours with US-based popular podcaster and computer scientist Lex Fridman, Modi opened up on a host of foreign affairs issues and also touched on various aspects of his life journey.

He praised RSS for instilling patriotic values in him, lauded Mahatma Gandhi's legacy and described himself as a peacemaker who has nudged both Russian and Ukrainian leaders to come to the negotiating table.

Reacting to the podcast, Congress general secretary, communications, Jairam Ramesh hit out at the prime minister for saying "criticism is the soul of democracy" and accused him of "demolishing" institutions that were to hold his government accountable and having gone after critics "with a vengeance".

Also read: Lex Fridman podcast: PM Modi opens up on Gujarat riots, ties with China, Pakistan

"He who is afraid of facing the media in a press conference has found comfort in a foreign podcaster anchored in the rightwing ecosystem.

"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!" Ramesh wrote on X.

"There is no limit to Hypo(d)crisy," the Congress leader said.