'Answer teachers, students': Raja questions Modi over 'fall' in education budget

New Delhi, Sep 6 (PTI) CPI general secretary D Raja on Sunday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for making political attacks during his Teachers' Day address at Delhi University's Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC), and asked him to explain the change in the Union government's education budget during his tenure.

Raja's remarks came a day after Modi, addressing the SRCC's centenary celebrations on Teachers' Day, revived his "dimagi naxal" remark and accused critics of being unable to digest India's 7.8 per cent economic growth.

Modi also contrasted the country's economic situation in 2013 with its current position, saying India had moved from the "Fragile Five" to being the fastest-growing major economy.

In a post on X, Raja said that instead of addressing the "real concerns" of teachers and students, the prime minister had chosen to make political attacks.

"He should understand that this will not work. People are no longer willing to believe his claims because of the government's monumental failures," Raja said.

The CPI leader alleged that the government had even gone to the extent of "manipulating and misrepresenting economic data" and was now branding those who questioned its claims as "dimagi naxals".

"But the country will continue to question. Dissent cannot be criminalised, and questions cannot be silenced by name-calling," Raja said.

He asked the prime minister to answer what he described as a simple question: "By what percentage has the Union government's education budget fallen during your tenure?"

"Instead of attacking critics, answer the teachers and students of India," he said.

At the SRCC event, Modi had said those who had reacted to his "dimagi naxal" remark after his Independence Day speech had exposed themselves. He also described critics of government initiatives as "naraaz phoopa" while citing projects such as UPI, high-speed trains and the Statue of Unity.