Hyderabad: Noting the country is facing “serious internal challenges”, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday said incidents of violence were tarnishing the image of a progressive and secular India and alleged the BJP was adding “fuel to fire”.

In his opening remarks at the first meeting of the reconstituted Congress Working Committee (CWC) here, Kharge said the party demands an immediate start of the Census process along with a caste survey to secure the right to health, education, employment and food security for the deprived sections of society.

After three successful meetings, the opposition alliance is forging ahead to combat the “anti-people and anti-democratic BJP government”, the Congress chief said.

Perturbed by this development, the BJP dispensation is resorting to vindictive action against opposition parties, he alleged.

At the CWC meeting, Kharge said, “We also strongly condemn the government’s attempts to stifle the opposition in Parliament and curtail public scrutiny in Parliament.” The forthcoming special session of Parliament raises concerns about the ruling party’s intentions, he added.

Claiming that the country is “at a crossroads today, facing many serious internal challenges”, the Congress chief alleged that the Narendra Modi government has been a “complete failure” in controlling inflation, unemployment, raging violence in Manipur, widening inequality and declining condition of farmers and labourers.

“The entire nation is witnessing the tragic events still unfolding in Manipur. The Modi government allowed the fire of Manipur to reach Nuh in Haryana,” Kharge said.

These incidents tarnish the image of modern, progressive and secular India. In such a situation, the ruling party, communal organisations and a section of the media add “fuel to fire”, He alleged.

He also claimed that the country’s economy is in grave danger with the rise in prices of all essential commodities adversely affecting the lives of the common people.