The Congress on Monday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had nothing new to offer in his remarks ahead of the start of the 18th Lok Sabha and “as usual resorted to diversion".

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh also said the prime minister has shown no evidence that he understood the true meaning of the people's verdict “which saw him eking out only a narrow and dubious win in Varanasi”.

"The non-biological PM who suffered a resounding personal, political, and moral defeat in the Lok Sabha elections has just given his usual 'desh ke naam sandesh' outside the Parliament as the 18th Lok Sabha prepares to commence its tenure… He has said nothing new and as usual resorted to diversion…," Ramesh said in a post on X.

"Let him be under no doubt: the INDIA Janbandhan will hold him to account for every minute. He stands brutally exposed," Ramesh added.

He put out another post about the opposition's stance versus that of the prime minister.

"The non-biological PM is telling the Opposition: substance, not slogans." "INDIA is telling him: consensus, not confrontation. The non-biological PM is telling the Opposition: discussion, not disruption. INDIA is telling him: attendance, not absence," he went on to add.

In his customary remarks ahead of the start of the 18th Lok Sabha, Modi said India needs a responsible opposition as people want substance not slogans. He said people want debate, diligence and not disturbance in Parliament.

Modi said people expect good steps from the opposition, but it has been disappointing so far and expressed the hope that it will fulfil its role and maintain democracy's decorum.

Taking a swipe at the Congress without naming it, he said the Emergency's anniversary falls on June 25 and termed it a black spot on India's parliamentary history when the Constitution was discarded and the country turned into a prison.