Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. File
| Photo Credit: The Hindu
If the Congress and its leaders cannot “contribute positively” to the nation, they should stop being “obstructionists”, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Tuesday (May 19, 2026).
In a post on social media, she also went on to list the Narendra Modi government’s achievements under various social sector schemes, asking if these were aimed at benefiting the Adanis or Ambanis.
“Since 2014 we continue to serve every sector and every section of our society through our policies and initiatives,” Ms. Sitharaman said. “Farmers, the poor, women, youth, MSMEs are at the core of our governance structure.”
The Finance Minister asked whether the 58 crore Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana accounts that have been created were for “Adani/Ambani”.
She also questioned whether the achievements under the Mudra Yojana, Vishwakarma Yojana, Internship scheme, e-Shram cards, VB-G RAM G Act, Ayushman Bharat, PM KISAN, Lakhpati Didi, Drone Didi, PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana, SVANidhi, ECLGS 5.0, and several other initiatives were for the benefit of the industrialists.
“We are focused on the welfare of common people,” the Finance Minister asserted. “If @INCIndia [the Congress] and its leaders cannot contribute positively to nation-building, they should stop being obstructionists. A responsible opposition does not engage in fear mongering.”
Earlier in the day, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had attacked the government, saying that “a ferocious economic storm is looming over our heads”. “In 12 years, what Modi ji built as a structure — it was only for Adani and Ambani,” Mr. Gandhi said at an event in Raebareli. “And now, that very structure is about to come crashing down. The blow won’t land on them — they have escape routes.”
“The blow will land on you — on the youth, the poor, the middle class, the farmers, the labourers, the small traders — who were never even part of that structure,” he added. “Look around you. Are you part of that structure — or a victim of that storm?”
Published – May 19, 2026 10:26 pm IST
