New Delhi, October 5(HS): The Congress on Sunday accused the central government of fostering growing economic inequality in the country, claiming that its policies have concentrated wealth in the hands of a select few, undermining the very spirit of democracy.

Party General Secretary Jairam Ramesh, in a post on social media platform X, stated that while millions of Indians continue to struggle to meet their daily needs, just 1,687 individuals now control half of the nation’s wealth. He alleged that a close nexus between political power and big business has allowed certain industrialists to accumulate disproportionate wealth, even as India’s Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector — considered the backbone of the economy — remains under unprecedented pressure.

Ramesh said that opportunities for ordinary citizens are shrinking amid rising inflation and growing debt burdens, while government investment in education, healthcare, and social security schemes continues to decline.

Citing delayed wage payments under the rural employment guarantee scheme, MGNREGA, he called it a “clear symptom of a deeply unequal policy framework.”

The Congress leader cautioned that if this trend continues unchecked, India could soon find itself among nations where severe economic disparity and weakened democratic institutions fuel political instability.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar